Obituary of Patricia J. Rusin

Patricia J. Rusin, 90, died unexpectedly in her sleep on January 8, 2026, in Hope, New Jersey. Formerly of Lakehurst, she had relocated to Hope four months ago to be closer to her daughter. Pat loved her apartment and enjoyed living in a historic village and meeting new people.

Patricia Jean was born at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, NJ to Elizabeth A. & Frederick J. Gisburne. Her mother and stepfather Edward Lehning ran the well-known Betty & Eddie’s Tavern on the Raritan Bay adjacent to the Keyport Marina.

Pat graduated from Sayreville High School in 1953 and was noted for her beautiful blonde hair, stately figure, jitterbug dance moves, and friendly personality. Her nickname was “Gissie”, a reference to her last name and her ambition to be a fashion model.

In 1954, she overwhelmingly won a beauty contest and was crowned “Queen of Keansburg” by the town’s Mayor. Her coronation drew large crowds to the Beach Merchants event.

Pat loved the ocean and would often go to Sea Bright beach to watch the waves crash over the jetty, especially during a hurricane.

After a short engagement, she married George Rusin, Jr. on January 21,1961, during an historic “Noreaster Blizzard.” They had two children, Christine and Melissa and raised their family in Hazlet, NJ. Pat enthusiastically attended every school event for her girls and was often the loudest cheering mother at their basketball and softball games.

In 1977, she converted to Catholicism and was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church at St. Ann’s Parish in Keansburg. She proudly attended Mass every week including Holy Days. Later in life, Patricia was the church secretary for the Cathedral of the Air military chapel at Lakehurst Naval Air Station. She had a life-long devotion to the Virgin Mary and sought her intercession to strengthen her faith. Currently, she was a parishioner of St. Patrick Church, Belvidere.

Prior to raising her children, and after they had grown up, she worked as a bookkeeper for many businesses including the Keyport Yacht Club and the Winter Yacht Basin, Mantoloking, where she worked for her confidante, Paula. Pat’s attention to detail and proficiency with numbers was remarkable. She could easily calculate monetary figures in her head throughout her life.

When she was in her eighties, she worked as a cashier at the Shop-Rite in Manchester, NJ and had made many friends there, including her closest, Eva.

Pat devoted her lifetime to helping others. Recently, she cared for the daily needs of her much younger sister, Betsy, who had challenges related to dementia. They shared a home for over 30 years and often had lively parties. Pat made a point of calling her grandson Ryan daily at the special needs facility where he is a resident. All the care givers at Metheny knew her as Nana.

Pat was always full of life, love, and hugs and would light up a room with her warm smile and bright green eyes. She had a natural talent for socializing and making friends. She always believed in finding the good in people. She was fiercely independent. She loved chocolate and her afternoon tea.

Whether you knew her as Pat, Gissie, Mom, or Nana, her deep connection has surely left a lasting impression on your heart.

She leaves a devoted daughter, Christine; son-in-law Peter; grandchildren Brandon, Kristian, Jeffrey, and Ryan; great grandchildren Zoe, Carson, and Amina; nieces Susan and Patricia; grand dog, Max.

She is predeceased by her husband George, her daughter Melissa, and her sister Elizabeth.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Patrick Church, Belvidere or the Metheny Medical and Educational Center, Peapack, NJ. Metheny.org