Passing of Ruth Keusch

Basseterre: October 30, 2009.

Ruth Keusch, who with her husband Art came to St. Kitts in the late Eighties where they opened and ran one of the Caribbean's most renowned plantation inns, has died in the United States after a short illness. She was 75.

Ottley's Plantation Inn, internationally acclaimed for its service, its cuisine, its magnificent surroundings and the warmth and laughter generated by its founders, has always been a labour of love for the Keusch family.
It was the second major business venture of their lives, and the first in the hospitality industry and in the Caribbean – before moving to St. Kitts they were the proprietors of a number of successful book stores in New Jersey.

Born Ruth Strug on June 29, 1934, in Philadelphia, the late Ruth Keusch was the daughter of David A. Strug and Rose Strug, both deceased. She married Aaron "Art" Keusch in 1952, and they had three daughters, Nancy, Beth and Karen. Ruth's first career was as a busy homemaker, but after moving to New Jersey in 1961 she and Art decided to go into business for themselves and opened a book store in the Highland Park district. The venture was soon a success, and was followed by four more book outlets, along with a music store.

Along the way, the Keusch family also fell in love with the Caribbean. At first, they holidayed in Sint Maarten/St-Martin for several years, and at the same time continued to explore the rest of the Eastern Caribbean. In the early Eighties, they visited St. Kitts – and decided it was the place they wanted to live. They purchased a unit at the Frigate Bay Beach Resort, and, after several visits to the then newly developing island, they decided to open a hotel of their own, and to make it the sort of place they would want to stay in. They sold their businesses in New Jersey and purchased the somewhat rundown 35-acre Ottley's property, took possession of it in 1988, and started work on converting it into an elegant plantation inn.

At first, the property, built on the site of a 17th century sugar plantation, consisted mainly of a single-storey building with two bedrooms and a ham-radio room in the rear, along with one guest cottage in serious need of repair (its main claim to fame being that the late Princess Margaret had stayed their on a visit to the island) and another stone cottage that was uninhabitable.

After spending two years on extensive renovations, which included converting the main building into an elegant, two-storey structure that was to become an Eastern Caribbean landmark, Art and Ruth, in partnership with their daughter Nancy and her husband Martin "Marty" Lowell, opened the doors of Ottley's Plantation Inn, by then with 12 bedrooms, in January of 1990.

The establishment quickly earned a reputation for fine food at its Royal Palms restaurant, equally fine accommodation, and impeccable, friendly service – which it has continued to build upon for two decades, as it expanded to 24 luxurious rooms and cottages.

Rush Keusch is survived by her husband Art, daughters Nancy, Beth and Karen,  brother Richard Strug, son-in-laws Martin "Marty" Lowell and Richard "Rick" Sargeaunt, sister-in-law Sheila Strug and grandchildren Molly and Amanda Lowell