Farewell to Norma, our Tap-Dancing Roller-Skater

The world and Ironwood Theatre lost one of the great characters with the recent passing of Norma De Rubeis Rusch at 100 years of age. Born in Hurley in 1925, Norma was an enthusiastic and highly skilled  participant in the Leatha Hillis dance studio and in particular, their annual recitals at the Ironwood Theatre, where she first danced in 1932.  Norma graduated from Hurley High School, attended Gogebic Community College and graduated magna cum laude from the U of M Minneapolis with a major in Latin American Studies. After traveling through Spain in 1947, she moved to New York City where she worked at the Institute of International Education. She earned her MA at the University of Salamanca in collaboration with the University of Virginia.  She returned to Hurley where she taught high school English and then went to Minocqua High School where she taught English and introduced Spanish to the curriculum. When Lakeland Union High School was formed in 1957, she became their Spanish teacher. In 1976, in recognition of her work promoting the Spanish language and culture in Wisconsin, the Spanish government gave her their highest award for foreigners, Dame of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. She retired in 1985 and spent many winters in Tucson where she played piano for a mandolin orchestra. About six years ago during a visit with theatre manager Bruce Greenhill, she wore the broadest smile as she  proudly told stories of tap dancing on stage while wearing roller skates! Even in her 90s her  joie de vivre was contagious. Thank you and RIP, Norma.

The following statement was included in the the obituary prepared by her family: In memory of this Hurley girl, please send a donation to the Ironwood Theatre at… PO Box 187… Ironwood, MI 49938, online at https://www.ironwoodtheatre.net, or by calling 906-932-0618.