CARLA RUECK: 1946-2025

It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved member Carla Rueck passed away on July 21, 2025, after a long illness. A graduate of St. John’s University, Carla had a long and active professional career as a school teacher in the Port Washington School District, where she also served as a union representative.

Post retirement, Carla virtually had a second career in the croquet world as a player, as an organizer and as an official. She was actively involved in a number of clubs, including the New York Croquet Club, PGA National, the National Croquet Center, Bombay Mallet & Wicket Croquet Club and the Westhampton Mallet Club, where she served as a Board Director and in June was elevated to the status of “Honorary Member.”

She was also a prominent figure within the United States Croquet Association (USCA) where she held the position of Secretary at one point followed by her most recent role as Second Vice President. In addition, she was also chair of the Education Committee from 2022-2025.

Her contributions to the sport earned her numerous honors from the USCA. Most notably, Carla was selected for induction into the USCA Hall of Fame, with the ceremony scheduled for February in West Palm Beach, Florida. This honor caps a distinguished career that also included receiving the coveted Ambassador Award in 2025, recognizing her exceptional dedication to promoting and advancing the sport of croquet.

Carla’s presence on the croquet courts in New York and in Florida was legendary so much so that her voice mail message indicated that if she didn’t answer, she was probably playing croquet! In addition to competing in numerous croquet tournaments and winning more than her fair share of them, Carla was a whirlwind organizer of croquet games from simple club events to complex USCA-sanctioned tournaments.

Carla was predeceased by her husband Bill, who passed away in April. She is survived by her son Billy, her daughter-in-law Addy and her granddaughter Louise of Portland, Ore. Carla will be dearly missed and long remembered fondly by all who met her.

—Dennis Amato, Westhampton Mallet Club