Irene Oniska (Davies) Rush, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on September 26, 2026, in San Mateo at the age of 102.

Born on September 20, 1924, in Salinas, California, to Donald Davies Sr. and Alta Lyons Davies, Irene’s life was defined by a deep connection to her roots and her family. A graduate of Salinas High School’s class of 1942, she went on to attend Mills College, UCLA and USC.

During the pivotal years of World War II, Irene contributed her skills as a laboratory technician for Spreckels Sugar.

Following the war, Irene began a beautiful partnership with Ralph Gordon Rush. They married in 1946 in Santa Barbara and built a life together that took them through San Francisco, Redding, and Berkeley before they settled in San Carlos in 1959. For decades, Irene was a cherished fixture of the El Sereno Corte neighborhood.

Irene was, above all, a devoted mother. She nurtured and raised three children—Diane Ellyn Rush Padovani, John Gordon Rush, and Janice Elizabeth Rush Mendenhall—all college graduates. Her legacy of love and wisdom continued through her grandchildren, Andrew, Chris, and Marisa, and her two great-grandchildren, Joseph and Lillian.

Known for her sharp mind, wit, and generous spirit, Irene was an avid bridge player who frequently opened her home to her bridge club. She was also an excellent cook, though her true gift was her willingness to freely share her techniques and recipes with her children and grandchildren, ensuring her culinary traditions would live on.

Irene remained deeply tied to the Salinas Valley, maintaining close bonds with the Lyons, Massera, Fanoe, Lauritson, and Martin families, and co-owning a farming business with her cousin, Kenneth Martin, and his children. In her later years, she found great joy in traveling across Europe and Mexico with her sister-in-law, Carol Silacci Davies.

Irene spent her final years in an assisted living home in San Mateo, leaving behind a century of memories and a family who adored her.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Irene's memory to Shriners Children’s Hospital donate.Shrinerschildrens.org or Filoli Historic House & Gardens Filoli.org