Patricia Lynn Allen Rush died Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Tricia was born on August 6, 1951, in Denton, Texas. She was the third of four children of Tommie Clifton Allen and Burles Lucille Hall Allen. Her father worked for the Federal Government in the Bureau of Indian Affairs as an Agricultural Extension agent, taking the family from Texas to New Mexico, Arizona, and Mississippi. Tricia graduated from Philadelphia High School in 1969 as class valedictorian and was a National Merit Semifinalist. She also excelled outside the classroom on the basketball court. She was the yearbook editor and voted Most Likely to Succeed and Most Intellectual. She attended the University of Mississippi, graduating in 1973 with a degree in Communicative Disorders and in 1974 with a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She was president of Associated Women Students and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Mortar Board. She was also Organizations Editor for the Ole Miss yearbook. While working on her Master’s degree, Tricia moved into an apartment next door to another graduate student named Sam Rush. They began dating and studying together over the next year. After completing her graduate degree, Tricia married Sam on October 5, 1974, at Central United Methodist Church in Meridian, MS, where they made their home until 1980. While in Meridian, Tricia worked as the Director of Meridian Speech and Hearing Center. The couple relocated to Jackson, MS, in 1980. In Jackson, Tricia worked with an ENT performing hearing and speech evaluations as well as speech therapy. In 1981, she was elected president of the Mississippi Speech and Hearing Association. Soon Tricia and Sam were blessed with their first child, a daughter named Beth. Two years later their first son, Tom, entered the family. She found a job closer to home working for two ENTs. Again she did hearing testing and speech therapy. In 1983 Tricia began her own business, Hearing and Speech Services, where she still provided speech and hearing services but added her first love, fitting hearing aids for people who are impaired. In 1986 Peter, their third and final child, was born. Tricia remained active in her business and found time for several other interests. She was very involved in Children's Community Theatre, eventually being responsible for all the seating assignments for every production. She also enjoyed playing bridge and participating in a book club. Various mothering responsibilities made significant demands as the children grew and enjoyed a plethora of activities. She drove carpool for piano lessons, swim team, soccer practice, baseball, and even found time to be a den mother for a Cub Scout troop. She participated in PTA at several schools. This she did while continuing to operate her business. She enjoyed singing and joined a church choir and attended several night classes at Millsaps College where she developed her appreciation of wine. As the children grew she had more time and was offered a part-time position at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, while continuing her private practice. After several years with two jobs, she decided to return to her own business full-time and grew it into a significant practice. She retired in 2019. Tricia is survived by her husband Elbert Sumrall “Sam” Rush, Jr. of Ridgeland, MS; her three children Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Rush Hammack (Stephen) of Madison, MS, Thomas Sumrall “Tom” Rush (Sara) of Memphis, TN, and Peter Allen Rush; her four grandchildren Rachel Kathryn Hammack, Caroline Grace Hammack, Matthew Bowen Crisler Hammack all of Madison, MS, and Ander Sumrall Rush of Memphis, TN; her siblings Michael Wayne Allen (Donna) of Virginia Beach, VA, Karen Leigh Allen of Bellingham, WA, and James Thomas Allen (Monica) of Metairie, LA; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents Tommie Clifton Allen and Burles Lucille Hall Allen; her paternal grandparents James William Allen and Margaret Ora Miller Allen Delano; her maternal grandparents Lee Roy Hall and Alice May Lancaster Hall. A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, July 8, 2023, in the chapel at Natchez Trace Funeral Home with inurnment immediately following. Visitation will begin at 9am and last until the start of the service. In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions in Tricia’s memory can be made to Brain Support Network, https://www.brainsupportnetwork.org, Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/, or a charity of one’s choice.