Gertrude D. “Tootsie” Pusch Zipf (1883-1974)
Gertrude Pusch Portrait_12 Years Old
Gertrude D. Pusch Zipf, affectionately known as “Tootsie” or “Tutsie,” was born on April 4, 1883, at the Pusch family home on Jackson Street in Tucson. She was the eldest surviving daughter of George and Mathilda Pusch, founders of the Pusch family ranching enterprise and important figures in the early development of the area that would become Oro Valley.
Gertrude grew up during the height of the Pusch family’s ranching operations and would eventually play an important role in helping to preserve and manage the family’s interests.
Steam Pump Ranch served as a watering stop for cattle drives, a supplier for the family’s butcher business, and an important stopping point along the long route to their Feldman (PZ) Ranch near Aravaipa. (Feldman was Mathilda’s maiden name.)
Gertrude Pusch-Zipf (center, wearing all white) and Friends.
Gertrude was among the early students to attend the University of Arizona, at a time when the young university was still situated on what was considered the outskirts of Tucson. Her attendance reflected the changing opportunities available to women in territorial-era Arizona and placed her among the early generations of students connected to the university.
Gertrude remained a lifelong Tucsonan. Her deep roots in the community, combined with her connections to one of the area’s prominent pioneer families, made her a familiar and well-known figure throughout Tucson.
Henry W. Zipf
Gertrude married Henry W. Zipf of Hopedale, Illinois, who later served as Tucson’s postmaster from 1930 to 1935. Together they had two sons. Henry G. Zipf became an Army airman, attorney, and politician, while Frank Zipf served as a Navy veteran. Henry W. Zipf also had an older son, Walter, from a previous marriage. Walter later became editor of the Douglas Dispatch and was the half-brother of Henry G. and Frank.
Henry “Hank” G. and Frank Zipf
Following the deaths of her parents, Gertrude became instrumental in assisting her brother Walter Pusch with the management of the Pusch Land and Cattle Company. Her involvement continued the family’s stewardship of the ranching operation that George and Mathilda Pusch had established decades earlier.
Gertrude also served as postmaster of the post office located on the Feldman Ranch, further connecting her life to the network of ranches and rural communities that surrounded Tucson during this period.
Gertrude was known as an avid horsewoman, a fitting pastime for someone whose life was so closely tied to ranching and the open country surrounding Tucson. Family history also recalls that, despite living through the era when automobiles transformed transportation, she never drove an automobile.
Gertrude D. Pusch Zipf died on March 9, 1974, at the age of 90. Her long-life bridged generations of Tucson history, and her story reflects the enduring role of the Pusch family in the development of the region.
Zipf Gravesite in Evergreen Memorial Park in Tucson, AZ
Gertrude’s Trunk and Wedding Shawl
Gertrude Pusch Zipf
A huge thank you to the Arizona Historical Society for their grant in 2024 to the Oro Valley Historical Society!
This funding preserved a 100‑year‑old shawl owned by Gertrude Pusch and is believed to have been worn at her wedding to Henry W. Zipf. The shawl was previously stored in our archives and rarely exhibited. It is now permanently displayed in the Pusch House Museum above Gertrude’s steamer trunk, alongside other cherished family possessions.
We are also grateful to Mo Gaul and Corinne Blake of Mo’s Gallery for their expertise in framing, protective glass, and installation.