Louise A. Rullo

Louise A. Rullo, 80, passed away on March 15, 2026.

Born in New York, Louise lived on Long Island, Queens, and Orange County, New York. She moved in early March to Oregon to be near her son, daughter-in-law, and to dote on her two precious grandchildren. Wherever she went, her accent would quickly give her away. On a family trip to Disneyland, a waitress delightedly remarked, “Are you from New York? You sound just like Cagney and Lacey!”

She met her husband Bob working at Harvey Electronics in Manhattan, where they both worked. They had their first date on New Year’s Eve and were engaged by the spring. With a keen eye for finance, she helped Bob with the bookwork for more than two decades after he started his own business. An active mother, she drove her children to music lessons, scout meetings, CCD, friends’ houses, sports, and more. Once done raising her children, she worked at, and eventually retired from, Valley View Center for Nursing Care and Rehab as an Associate Clerk in Staff Resources, where she once again found professional fulfillment and made many dear friends.

Louise welcomed her children’s friends with open arms and made sure her home was welcoming to all who entered. There was always Pepsi waiting for her close friend Carmen, magazines and catalogues for her cousin Jean to flip through, gluten-free snacks for her son-in-law Gabriel, and Peach Schnapps for when her friends came over for “craft night,” which often ended up being a night of laughter, gentle gossip, fuzzy navels, and the occasional craft.

She was an excellent cook. Her sausage bread, Irish soda bread, broccoli casserole, butter cookies, and more are family favorites. She hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve for years. Impromptu barbecues with Bob on the grill and Louise making “green slime” and other accompaniments in the kitchen are fondly remembered.

Louise had a sharp mind, which she enjoyed putting to competitive use. Whether it be Scrabble, Rummikub, or cards, she played to win, and it did not matter how old you were. Her dear friend Anne helped her develop her cutthroat Scrabble skills that were then passed down to her own two kids. Although often overshadowed by her husband’s big personality, she was at least as funny as he was, with a perfect deadpan. On Bob’s 35th birthday, she switched the candles and told her son Rob that his father was much older than he told people, but never to mention it to him; Rob believed this well into his college years.

Louise was a wonderful mother, aunt, godmother, and grandmother. She gave her children the gift of love of reading, made sure they worked hard in school, and developed meaningful friendships. When her children were 10 and 13, she began watching her cousin Jean’s children. She cared for them as if they were her own, and she spoke about Joshua, Jonathan, and JoAna as if they were.

In her retired years, Louise enjoyed meeting up with her work friends for lunch, socializing with Bob’s friends from real estate, watching shows with her husband, visiting with family and friends, and being with her two grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her husband, Robert, and her parents, John and Louise

She is survived by her children, Robert (Jessie) of Oregon and Gina (Gabriel) of New Jersey; grandchildren, Eve and Asa; brothers, John (Cheryl) of Tennessee and Dennis of California; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Special thank you to Debbie, Barbara, Tony, Josephine, and Oksana, who helped care for Louise over the past three years.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, April 30, at 11 a.m. at Saint Anastasia Shrine. Inurnment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Shrine, Nationwide Center of St. Jude Devotions, 512 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore, MD 21201.

Arrangements and care provided by Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers and Holman's Funeral Service.