10/01/2024

Beth Ruyle Hullinger

   


My lovely and talented wife, Beth Ruyle-Hullinger, died on Sep 30, 2024 from complications from Multiple Myeloma and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She fought the good fight at Moffitt Hospital in Tampa.


Elizabeth “Beth” Ruyle-Hullinger was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She was adopted at birth by Daniel and Mae Coley Smith of Covington, Georgia, then raised in St. Petersburg and Sarasota, Florida. She attended St. Petersburg Junior College and then the University of Florida, graduating in 1968.


She married Richard Ruyle and moved to Atlanta. Her daughter Leigh Ann was born and they divorced soon after. Beth trained as a teacher, then worked for the Center for Disease Control and the Atlanta Regional Commission, where she helped plan programs that substantially improved the metropolitan region. In 1975, she proudly earned her Masters in Public Administration at the University of Georgia, making her a pioneer of the feminist movement. She is also a Georgia Dawg, a Florida Gator, and a scorpion by birthdate.


Moving to Chicagoland in 1978, Beth took the job as Executive Director of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA), an organization of forty municipalities south of Chicago.  She conceived and implemented numerous plans and strategies that improved the south suburbs as well as the Chicago metropolitan region. Her numerous projects included flood control, transportation improvements, drug enforcement, purchase programs, insuring emergency services, and the proposed third Chicago metropolitan airport. She worked over twenty-two years for SSMMA and made it a leading governmental organization.  She was honored with a Congressional Resolution, as State of Illinois Resolution, and resolutions by her suburban governments. She was chosen one of Chicago's 100 most influential women in Crain's Chicago Business.


During this time, she met and married her husband, Craig Hullinger, a city planner who shared her goals of good governance, city improvement and love of international travel. Craig brought two sons, Clint and Bret, to the family.


Beth then became a Financial Advisor for Ehlers Incorporated.  She participated in numerous urban redevelopment efforts, providing municipalities with tax increment financing.


Moving to Peoria, Illinois, Beth and Craig formed Ruyle-Hullinger and Associates, a consulting practice specializing in city planning, urban redevelopment and tax increment financing to a number of Illinois municipalities.


Beth and Craig retired to Sarasota, Florida.  Beth was elected as President of the Sarasota Sister Cities Association, serving several terms, and led exchanges with sister cities Vladimir, Russia; Perpignon, France; Tel Mond, Israel; Merida, Mexico; Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland; Busseto, Italy; Dunfermline, Scotland; and Xiamen, China. She also served on the Board of the Sarasota Chapter of Military Officers.


Beth is survived by her husband Craig Hullinger, daughter Leigh Ann Masen, son Bret Hullinger, sisters Serena Windham and Gordenia Murdoch, sisters-in-law Anne Hullinger and Barbara Hullinger, brother-in-law Scott Hullinger, nephews and nieces Derek, Amber, Christy, Eric, Maddie, Krystina, Alex, and Shane.


Services are private. She will be buried at the Sarasota National Cemetery, https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/sarasota.asp.


If you wish you can donate to your favorite charity in her name.





    Beth Aug 2024


Float Plane Over Glacier 
Juneau, Alaska August 2024




















Aug 5, 2024



Monterey, CA July 2024 
https://dodugaru.blogspot.com/



Beth was President of Sarasota Sister Cities and led
numerous exchanges to and from our Sister Cities



Dunfermline, Scotland



Saying Goodbye to Our Great Vladimir, Russia Hosts

Perpignan, France, Sister City

Tell Mond, Israel Sister City
telmondsarasota.blogspot.com










Merida, Mexico Sister City
meridasarasota.blogspot.com






Angkor Wat Sunrise






Our Gang at our 70th Birthday Party at the Bradenton, Florida Marine Corps Ball. Looking Good!



Chili and Argentina Border in the Andes






Photos of Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy May 2022


Lake Como, Bellagio, Italy, May Boat Trip 16, 2022

https://photos.app.goo.gl/euHxNpBMrWRh48oC9


Ventura County, California Naval Base



China

Egypt







Nice lady surrounded by Giants






Beth and I were prepared for Hurricane Irma in 2017,

in the closet with our motorcycle helmets on.



Flying Space Available on US Military Planes


Flying Space Available on US Military airplanes. 
Spacious and comfortable.



 

Beth and I fly Space Available on military planes. This is a CH-47 helicopter inside of an Air Force C-17. The Helo was Coming Home From Afghanistan via Rota, Spain to South Carolina. Thanks to the Army and Air Force for bringing us home. Nice trip. 

My wife noticed that the Helo was in very poor condition, with some bullet holes. She asked the Army NCO if they were going to junk it?  "No, he replied. "We will fix it up and fly it for 25 more years."

We flew from Rota Spain to an Air National Guard base in South Carolina.  An Air Force Master Sergeant met us at the plane and said. "You can't be here!"

"But we are here." we said.

"We have no customs inspection here", she said. "You have to get back on the plane". Which was going on the California.

"No", we said, and did not. Entered the country illegally, but never caught.

More Scoop about Space A flights at:




















Beth Was a Florida Gator, a Georgia Dawg, and a Scorpio.




Our Photos and Blogs

2024 Alaska Cruise, Victoria, Vancouver, Washingon, Oregon July 1-Aug 6







Pacific Northwest Aug 2021, Covid-19! 

Panana Canal 2019-20 panamacanal2020.blogspot.com

North Atlantic 2019 northatlantichullinger.blogspot.com

France 2019 perpignansarasota.blogspot.com

Around the world 2019  aroundtheworldruhu.blogspot.com

Ascension Island 2019 ascensionspacea.blogspot.com

Spain 2018   southofspain.blogspot.com

West Coast 2018 westcoast2018.blogspot.com

France 2017 perpignanfrance.blogspot.com

Africa 2016   africaislovely.blogspot.com

Scotland 2016 dunfermlinesarasota.blogspot.com

Corner to Corner 2016 floridatoseattle.blogspot.com

Around the World 2015 aroundtheworldspacea.blogspot.com

Israel 2014   telmondsarasota.blogspot.com

Turkey 2014 turkeyhullinger.blogspot.com

Russia 2013 vladimirsarasota.blogspot.com

China 2010  peoriachina.blogspot.com

Egypt 2007  amunegypt.blogspot.com

Sabbatical 2003 sabbaticalruhu.blogspot.com

norwayhullinger.blogspot.com

viknorway.blogspot.com

spainspacea.blogspot.com

southofspain.blogspot.com

italyhullinger.blogspot.com

italyspacea.blogspot.com

greecespacea.blogspot.com

italyspacea.blogspot.com

spainspacea.blogspot.com

spaceaphotos.blogspot.com

travelhullinger.blogspot.com

spaceatrips.blogspot.com

cruiseruhu.blogspot.com

7wondersruhu.blogspot.com


  

12ru.blogspot.com

photoslwr.blogspot.com

photossarasotasistercities.blogspot.com

photosmoaa.blogspot.com

lakewoodranchfl.blogspot.com

photosempehi.blogspot.com

morganparkphotoblog.blogspot.com

wowhullinger.blogspot.com

vietnamhullinger.blogspot.com






MOAA Military Gala May 2021





June 2021 - Thanks for the photo, Betty




Beth in her little car in France. This car was BB, Beth's Bribe, to get her to quit work for a six month sabbatical and go around the world. We still have BB.



More about Beth at https://elizabethruyle.blogspot.com


and https://bethruyle.blogspot.com/


More photos:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/bfeUTxju6skDXojM6



Juneau, Alaska Aug 3, 2024






Beth found her sisters later in life


She found her sister Serena through the Georgia Adoption Agency



Click to read the story

https://serenabeth.blogspot.com/



She found her Sister Gordenia Through DNA


Click to read the story

https://gorserbet.blogspot.com/




State of Illinois


91_HR0502

 
                                               LRB9109643CBcb

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, It has come to our attention that Beth Ruyle has
 3    announced her resignation as Executive Director of the  South
 4    Suburban  Mayors  and  Managers Association after 21 years of
 5    service; and

 6        WHEREAS, Her resignation is effective  January  1,  2000;
 7    and

 8        WHEREAS,  She  has  had many accomplishments as Executive
 9    Director, including her dedication to  fight  for  the  third
10    regional airport in the South Suburbs; and

11        WHEREAS,  Beth  Ruyle  is  well  respected throughout the
12    Metropolitan Chicago area; and

13        WHEREAS,  She  is  affiliated  with  the  Illinois   City
14    Management    Association,    the   Metro   City   Management
15    Association, the Metropolitan Planning Council, the Chiefs of
16    Police of the Southern Suburbs, the Urban Innovations Project
17    Advisory Council, the Chicago Southland Chamber of  Commerce,
18    and the Cook County Census Committee; and

19        WHEREAS,  She has received numerous awards, including the
20    Urban Innovations Award for Employee Assistance Program,  the
21    South   Suburban  Drug  Enforcement  Program,  and  Honorable
22    Mention in Urban Innovations by the Municipal Bond Bank; and

23        WHEREAS, Ms. Ruyle will be joining the firm of Ehlers and
24    Associates, a financial consulting firm; therefore, be it

25        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
26    NINETY-FIRST  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
27    we congratulate Beth Ruyle on  her  numerous  accomplishments
28    and  achievements as Executive Director of the South Suburban
29    Mayors and Managers Association and extend our best wishes to
30    her in her future with  Ehlers  and  Associates;  and  be  it
 
                            -2-                LRB9109643CBcb
 1    further

 2        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
 3    presented to Beth Ruyle as an expression of our esteem.


https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0502LV.html


Beth thanks everyone for their kindness and friendship over the years.  More about Beth at https://bethruylehullinger.blogspot.com/


Rest in Peace


Craig Hullinger


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