Florence Bush

Florence I. Bush, age 76 years of Niles, Michigan died at 2:56 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2015 at her home following an extended illness.

She was born on May 2, 1938 in Niles to Gerald and Harriet (Hargreaves) George. She was graduated from Niles High School, and lived here most of her life, moving to Edwardsburg, Michigan last year. She was first employed at the former Dor-a-Linn Nursing Home (now Riveridge Manor), then at the former Niles plant of Simplicity Pattern Company, and at Coachmen RV.

Florence was an active member of The Salvation Army in Niles, both Sunday mornings at church and during the week cleaning and mending donated items, and at the former Eastgate retail store of The Salvation Army. She was also an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary to American Legion Post #26, cleaning, ironing, and mending the Honor Guard uniforms.

She enjoyed completing crossword puzzles, and traveling – mostly for Veterans events and hospital visits, but her greatest joy was caring for her children and grandchildren. The extended family had no need of a babysitter as every parent knew that Florence was ready and willing to care for all of the children. Those parents also knew of Florence’s interest in cleaning and mending, and that their children would go home neater and cleaner than they came.

On May 29, 1959 in Roseland, Indiana she married Bernard D. “Bud” Bush with whom she celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on May 12, 1995. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Brenda in 2010; by sisters Norma and Sandra, and by brothers, Gerald and Robert.

Surviving family includes her children, Star Nelson of Edwardsburg, Bernard “Ted” Bush of Niles, and Richard Bush of Mishawaka, Indiana; eight grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren; and Florence’s sisters, Beverly, Phyllis, Patricia, Dorothy, and Diana, and a brother, James and many nieces and nephews.

Services for Florence Bush will be at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2015 at the graveside at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles with Major William Walters and Major Tracy Walters of The Salvation in Niles and the Rev. Tedd Galloway of West Adrian (Michigan) Community Church and the Rev. Donna Galloway of Morenci (Michigan) United Methodist Church officiating.

Contributions in memory of Florence Bush may be made to the New Building Fund of The Salvation Army in Niles. Arrangements were made at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

---