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 and resolutions by her forty suburban governments.
During this time, she met and married her husband, Craig Hullinger, a city planner who shared her goals of civic 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 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.
More about Beth at https://elizabethruyle.blogspot.com and https://bethruyle.blogspot.com/
More photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bfeUTxju6skDXojM6
Beth Was a Florida Gator, a Georgia Dawg, and a Scorpio.
