Varina Goodall Rushton

Varina Goodall Rushton, beloved wife and mother, passed away on January 7, 2022. Born to Yancey and Varina Ann Goodall in Birmingham, Alabama, on August 24, 1931. Varina lived a full and truly remarkable life—one marked by passion for culture and the arts, impact on her community, and, most of all, love for the people around her.

After graduating from Brooke Hill School for Girls, Varina attended the University of Alabama where she was in Kappa Delta sorority and triple-majored in English, French, and history. In February 1953, she married her sweetheart, Allen Rushton, who survives her today. In her early years of married life, Varina worshipped at The Independent Presbyterian Church, serving for a time as President of the Women of the Church. She later joined St. Mary’s on the Highlands. For many decades, Varina gave generously of her time to civic organizations across the city. She was a member of the Junior League of Birmingham where she volunteered as a docent at the Art Museum; an avid believer in the opportunity for education, she was President of Linly Heflin Unit, which provided college scholarships for women; and as a life-long lover of history, she was a member of the Arlington Historical Association and the National Society of Colonial Dames, and served as a regent of the Daughters of American Revolution–Old Elyton Chapter.

A voracious connoisseur of the world’s many wonders, her range of interests was both deep and wide. Over the years, she was involved with numerous clubs and social organizations including The Grape Vine Garden Club, Mountain Brook Music and Art Club, Harlequins Dance Club, Silhouettes Dance Club, and The New Era Study Club. She even founded the Book Markers Literary club with her dear friend, Vonnie Coleman, to invite others into her lifelong passion for reading. She was a lover of animals, especially dogs, and supported many organizations that preserved or protected wildlife. (She loved Brittanys, her grand dog, Mindy, and horseback riding.)

She loved reading and dancing, music and art, gardening and entertaining (her parties were legendary for their elegance). She also loved to travel, and she and Allen often combined their wanderings with their mutual love of stories of the past. Most of all though, Varina loved people, and had a special gift of making everyone she interacted with feel loved, seen, and valued.

Varina will be greatly missed by her husband of 69 years, Allen Douglass Rushton; children Varina Rushton Hart (Bill), Yancey Goodall Rushton (Leigh) and four grandchildren: Varina Hart Shaughnessy (Andrew), Chaffin Fraser Hart, Conner Allen Rushton and Anna Goodall Rushton. She is preceded in death by her grandson Drew Yancey Rushton.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 13th at 2:00pm at St. Mary’s On the Highlands with a memorial service following at 3:00pm at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to O’Neal Public Library (in Mountain Brook) oneallibrary.org or Linly Heflin Scholarship www.linlyheflin.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Rushton family.