Anna Laura Rush

Anna “Ann” Laura Hereford Rush was born to Charles Hereford and Winnie Miller-Hereford on April 19, 1929. Ann grew up in a bucolic setting on the family farm in Crocus, Kentucky, with her beloved dog Spots.

She attended high school in Jamestown, Kentucky, and then later Georgetown Baptist College. On the advice of a deaf family friend, she decided to attend Gallaudet College in Washington, D.C. in order to earn a Master’s degree in deaf education.

During her time at Gallaudet, she met Ronald Edward (Ed) Rush, who was also in pursuit of a Master’s degree in deaf education.  After two years of studying and teaching together, Ann and Ed were married at the Miller family home on August 16, 1953. 

Ann and Ed both started their careers in education at the Florida School for the Deaf in St. Augustine, Fl.  Then, on their honeymoon, the couple moved west, where Ann had accepted a teaching position at the new California School for the Deaf, Riverside.  For the remainder of Ann's 44 years of service in deaf education, she taught in the Riverside Unified School District, where she made powerful impressions on the lives and careers of thousands of deaf and hard of hearing students and their families. 

In Riverside, Ann inspired others to enter the fields of teaching, counseling and interpreting for the deaf.  In addition to offering classes in American Sign Language (ASL) at California Baptist College, she also taught ASL, mentored young people, and interpreted services at Magnolia Avenue Baptist Church for many years.  

After a lifetime of teaching, raising five children, and nurturing her grandchildren, Ann was called home to rest with the Lord at 88 years of age, on Saturday, March 17, 2018. She is preceded in death by her husband, Ed; her mother Winnie; father Charles; and many other friends and loved ones.  Her love and laughter live on in the hearts of her five children (Reggie, Pam, Lauri, Alicia, and Charles), four-in-laws (Kaye, Bruce, Ron, and Denise), and nine grandchildren (Jeffrey, Ryan, Carly, Rachel, Arianna, Davis, Adam, Dalton, and Serena).

A service will be held at 3pm on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Barn Affair 1275 Brock Burris Road Gradyville, KY, followed immediately by a celebration of her life.

Interment in the Miller Family Cemetery at Crocus, KY

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to Gallaudet University’s Youth Program.  Gifts are accepted online at giving.gallaudet.edu.

Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home in charge of  Funeral arrangements

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