Wife of missing submersible pilot is descendent of wealthy Titanic victims

Wendy Rush is a great-great-granddaughter of Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy's department store, and his wife, Ida

Titanic passengers Isidor and Ida Straus. Getty

The wife of OceanGate owner Stockton Rush, who was piloting the missing Titanic submersible, is a descendant of first-class passengers who died in the 1912 disaster.

Wendy Rush is a great-great-granddaughter of retail magnate Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy's department store, and his wife, Ida, The New York Times reported.

The story of the couple, two of the wealthiest passengers on the ship, was immortalised in James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic.

An officer in charge was willing to let Mr Straus board a lifeboat, but he refused a seat because women and children were still on board the stricken liner.

Witnesses reported that Ms Straus refused to leave her husband behind.

The pair were last seen holding hands on the deck before a wave swept them into the ocean.

In the 1997 film, their story inspired a scene in which an older couple embrace in the ship as the water rises around them.

The couple were travelling back to the US on the Titanic with Ida’s recently appointed maid, Ellen Bird, and Isidor’s manservant, John Farthing, after visiting their native Germany, the UK’s National Archives website said.

“Her maid Ellen was put into the lifeboat and Ida gave Ellen her fur coat, saying she had no further use for it,” the archive said.

Mr Straus’s body was recovered, but his wife’s was not.

Mr Farthing was lost on the ship. Ms Bird survived.

Ms Rush, a communications director with OceanGate, is the relative of one of the couple’s daughters, Minnie.

She married Dr Richard Weil and their son, Richard Weil Jr, went on to serve as president of Macy’s New York.

Ms Rush’s husband spoke about his fascination with the wreck in an interview recorded for an episode of the BBC Travel programme.

“I read an article that said there are three words in the English language which are known throughout the planet,” Mr Rush said.

“That's Coca-Cola, God and Titanic.”

Ms Rush went on expeditions to the wreckage in 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to her LinkedIn page. She has been married to Mr Rush since 1986.