Anna R. Rush

Anna Cora Rush of San Benito, TX peacefully passed from this life and went home to be with her Lord, Jesus Christ on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, surrounded by loved ones.  She was born September 25, 1934, in Perkins, OK, the middle child of three born to Fred Lee Rains and Anna Jane (Moran) Rains.  Her father moved the family from Oklahoma to Liberty, TX where he worked in the oil field.  Upon his untimely death in 1946, her mother moved with her three children to San Benito to be near family.

It was at First Christian Church in San Benito that Anna Cora took Christ as her Savior and was baptized.  It was also at First Christian that she met and fell in love with John Rush and married on August 31, 1951.  She graduated Salutatorian of San Benito High School’s Class of 1952.  She and John welcomed their first child, a daughter in 1954, followed by two sons and another daughter.

When their youngest started elementary school, Anna Cora decided it was time to pursue her college degree.  She graduated with honors from Pan American University at Edinburg with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Education, and later returned for a Master’s in Education, graduating Highest Honor Student.  Anna Cora taught Kindergarten 25 of her 26 years at North Fred Booth Elementary.  She loved her years of teaching and her students but decided on early retirement in May 1994 to help care for her youngest granddaughter who was born prematurely.

Anna Cora lived her life for Christ and channeled his love through all she did.  She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother.  Her family, faith and church always came first in her life.  She was a deaconess at First Christian and taught Primary and Junior aged Sunday school classes.  Besides her passion for teaching, she loved baking and decorating cakes for all occasions and working in her yard.  She was greatly loved and will be missed very much by her family.

Anna Cora is preceded in death by her parents; her husband of nearly 68 years, John Rush; son, John Rush, Jr., brother, Fred Lee Rains, Jr., son-in-law, Mercer Fordham, and brother-in-law, Marvin Harm. She is survived by three children – Dr. Jewel Day of Houston, Joel Rush and wife Lisa of Katy, and Jane Fordham of San Benito; six grandchildren – Christopher Day and wife Jillian of Sugar Land, Erica Day of Baltimore, MD, Teresa Day of Houston, William Rush and Robert Rush of Katy, and Carol Anne Fordham and husband Guillermo Cuevas of Mesa, AZ; her sister, Jewel Harm of Pueblo, CO, her sister-in-law, Joyce Rains of McAllen, and her loving caregiver and friend, Mina Santa Maria of Los Fresnos.

Visitation will be Friday, June 11, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home.  A private graveside service will be held Saturday morning, June 12, 2021. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at First Christian Church, 400 N. Reagan, San Benito with Reverend Rodney L. Hendrix officiating.