Ronald J. Schwartzbauer, DC
On December 20, 1989, chiropractic lost one of it's great educators, lecturers, researchers, and practitioners, J. Lamoine De Rusha, D.C., of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. De Rusha died of pneumonia and complications from Hodgkin's disease. He was 78.
He was born October 16, 1911, in New York, N.Y. After high school, Dr. De Rusha began his professional career by graduating from New York University in a pre-dental program, in 1932. Fortunately for chiropractic, Dr. De Rusha's mother was treated successfully by a DC for a serious sinus ailment about this time, which prompted him to change his career choice and to pursue a career in chiropractic. He graduated in 1937 from the New York College (Inst.) of Chiropractic.
From 1937 to 1942, Dr. De Rusha maintained a private practice in New York and was a member of the faculty of the New York School of Chiropractic.
Earlier, he had been a musician and taught music in New York where he met his wife, Klara Kollodge. Klara had been one of the original Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. They were married May 16, 1942.
After a tour of duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Dr. and Mrs. De Rusha came to Northwestern College of Chiropractic, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1946.
From 1946 on, he was a member of the Northwestern College of Chiropractic faculty. He was head of the departments of anatomy and neurology and was associated with the departments of technic, gynecology, obstetrics, pediatrics, and geriatrics. He was dean of Northwestern from 1950 to 1972, and dean emeritus from 1972 on.
The doctor did research and one of the areas he researched was correlation of neuroanatomy and neurodiagnosis, with applied chiropractic technic. He spoke on chiropractic to many clubs, organizations, conventions and colleges over the years including the University of Minnesota Medical School and Hospital. In fact, he lectured in 40 of the states, also Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland. In 1974, he was selected by the Australian Chiropractic Association to appear as guest speaker before the Victorian Parliament at Melbourne, Australia. He represented chiropractic on several state boards in Minnesota over the years, and was the recipient of numerous awards during his long career. He was selected by his peers as the first Chiropractor of the Year in Minnesota, in 1953. The doctor also authored numerous articles on health and chiropractic and published his own book, The Collected Writings of Dr. J. L. De Rusha.
For all of his intense dedication to the advancement of the chiropractic profession, Dr. De Rusha also had another side to him. He had a marvelous sense of humor, a great sense of fun, and a bit of flamboyancy. I remember he always dressed with a touch of dash and had a penchant for gaudy cuff links on his French cuffed shirts. He loved his fur hats in the winter. After working hours he enjoyed being with his students.
In 1982, at a February Homecoming of Northwestern Chiropractic College, the theme of the evening was Hawaiian. Dr. De Rusha and his wife, Klara, were the honored guests of the evening. A few of the younger male doctors were on stage during the entertainment portion of the night's festivities, doing their rendition of a hula dance, and attired appropriately. They enticed Dr. De Rusha to join them on stage; he did. There was Dr. De Rusha, a lei draped over his shirt and vest, and a little grass skirt around his waist. He had his pant legs rolled up past his knees, displaying to all the long underwear and cowboy boots he wore under his suit as he danced the hula.
He was a man who truly loved and lived his life to the fullest and is sadly missed by his wife, Klara, and all of us who knew him.
