James William Rush

James William Rush, Jr., 88, of 2230 Turnbury Cove, Owensboro, died Friday, August 10, 2012 at the Owensboro Medical Health System. Born in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, a son of the late James William Rush and Margaret Cecil Allison Rush, on October 4, 1923, he graduated with a bachelor's degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Electrical Engineering, was a registered professional engineer and retired after 38 years of service from General Electric Co. He was an Army veteran of World War II and served in radio communications in the South Pacific. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Margaret June Dickens, Elizabeth "Libby" Rush, and Nancy Robinson and his brothers Albert Wallace Rush and Joseph Allison Rush.

Over the course of his career at General Electric, he worked with vacuum tubes, radio communications and microwave products. Mr. Rush was a primary engineer in the development and marketing of microwave products for the company. His expertise in the area of microwave communications led to awards as well as publication in a number of professional engineering journals.

As an active member of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church, his service included Sunday school teacher, service on a number of church committees including transportation, driving the church bus, repairing and running the chimes in the tower, and tuning and running the sound system. As a woodworker, he handcrafted crosses for young people newly confirmed into the church.

Mr. Rush was extensively involved in community service. His volunteer work included Habitat for Humanity, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and Civil Defense communications with amateur radio during local storms and disasters. His support of the Owensboro Regatta hydroplane races included course safety, race communications and timing, as well as the construction of the countdown starting clock. He was active in the development and construction of museum exhibits for the Owensboro Area Museum to further science and engineering education. He designed and was instrumental in the fabrication of the iconic "Burgoo Pot" that he drove in several parades and displayed at the BBQ Festival.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Betty Jean Glover Rush; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Rush Tibbitts (Cliff) of Lexington, KY; sons James William "Buz" Rush III (Jan) of Louisville, KY; Robert Glover "Bob" Rush (Karen) of Cincinnati, OH; David Allison Rush (Amanda Rees) of Columbus, GA; and grandchildren Andrew Rush, Allison Rush, Zachary Tibbitts, Cory Tibbitts, Meredith Rush, Eric Rush, and Gwyneth Rush.

The funeral service, officiated by the Rev. Darren Brandon and the Rev. Leighton Thomison, will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. Sunday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and after 9:00 a.m. Monday at the church. Entombment will be in Rosehill Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the memorial funds of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church or Habitat for Humanity.