Elizabeth Rusnak Arizmendi Passes Away at 59

Elizabeth Rusnak Arizmendi, who oversaw all public relations activities for Pasadena-based Rusnak Auto Group as Vice President and was an active local philanthropist, passed away on Thursday, March 17, after a long battle with cancer. She was 59.

Arizmendi was a long-time supporter of Hillsides, a family support organization in Pasadena, as well as other charity organizations throughout Los Angeles. In 2013, she was selected as the chair of Hillsides’ Centennial Gala, an annual benefit that celebrated Hillsides’ 100 years of service to the community.

In October 2017, she was one of six individuals and organizations who received the Hillsides Lifetime Achievement awards at the organization’s annual Circle of Excellence dinner. Arizmendi was honored for her 20-plus years of involvement with Hillsides. While accepting the award, Arzimendi said she was inspired to give back both by her family and her high school, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena. The school’s motto is “Actions, Not Words.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to do something, just do it,” Liz Arizmendi said during the awards event. “Being here and doing what I do and continue to do at Hillsides is such a pleasure.”

Rusnak Auto Group, which sells luxury cars throughout Southern California, will continue its annual Rusnak Pink Plate Campaign, which Arizmendi started in support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Pasadena Cancer Support Community Center, and Breast Cancer Angels.

Arizmendi is survived by husband Andrew Arizmendi and children Andrew Arizmendi II and Isabella Arizmendi; her father, Paul Rusnak, founder and chairman of Rusnak Auto Group, and mother Susanne Jaffe; and sister Victoria Rusnak.

Details of the funeral services were kept private, the family said.