News

When Marian “Mimi” Ruch died unexpectedly in 2008, LVSC lost a dedicated volunteer and kind friend. Mimi had tutored for eight years and was always willing to volunteer for multiple shifts during our month-long gift-wrapping fundraiser at Borders bookstore. 

Mimi retired from Hoechst Celanese Corp. in Bridgewater in 1996 after a 27-year career, lastly as supervisor of Human Resources and the Northeast Regional Supply and Distribution. Mimi received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in German and psychology, her Master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in psychology, and a second Master’s and PhD degrees from Rutgers University in cultural anthropology. She was past president of the Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club and secretary of the Lenape Tracking Club of New Jersey.

What LVSC did not know was that Mimi had named our organization in her will. Mimi’s foresight made a significant impact on LVSC. Her generous bequest supplemented our fundraising efforts for nearly a decade. Mimi’s selfless gesture kept LVSC fiscally sound while giving us the ability to focus on our programs, tutors, and students. In Mimi’s honor, the LVSC office, Room 250A of the PeopleCare Center, was named the “Mimi Ruch Memorial Literacy Office,” in 2010.