C. Gus Rys

Rys was born in Passaic and attended private Catholic schools there. He graduated from East Rutherford High School before attending New Jersey Law School (now part of Rutgers School of Law–Newark). He served on various Republican municipal and Bergen County-wide committees and campaigns prior to and during his time in elected office.

He served in municipal offices, first as a councilman in Fair Lawn for 13 years, as deputy mayor for six years, and mayor for two years. In 1971, he and fellow Republican John A. Spizziri were elected to the New Jersey General Assembly from District 13-C consisting of a snake-like district from Garfield to Wyckoff along the western border of Bergen County, then east to Westwood.^[5][6] For the next election, a new districting scheme was implemented and Rys and Spizziri were reelected to the Assembly from the new 40th district consisting of western Bergen County and subsequently reelected in 1975.^[7][8][9] While in the Assembly, Rys was known for his opposition to the new income tax implemented in the state that decade.^[3] He chose not to seek reelection the Assembly in 1977^[10] and was succeeded by newcomers W. Cary Edwards and Walter M. D. Kern (Spizziri was defeated in the Republican primary that year).

Rys was married to the former Joyce Yaros. They had three children.^[11] He died at Hackensack Hospital on August 25, 1980. He is buried at Fair Lawn Memorial Cemetery.^[2]