Obituary for Reid Bush
Reid Bush, known as “SR” (Santford Reid) to his Indiana relatives, was born on February 22, 1934 in Canton, Washington County, Indiana, to Clyde Keach Bush and Lilly Belle Motsinger Bush. In 1943, his family including his two sisters, Irma Lois (Wheeler) and Kaye (Eshnaur) moved to Orange County, California. After high school where he was a track and football star, Reid attended Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas where he met his first wife, Barbara Allen Barrentine. The marriage produced 5 children. After completion of college, and service in the military, a Master’s degree in English at Indiana University, Reid attended Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. After completion of his PhD, he moved to Louisville to serve as minister at Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church. There he met the love of his life, Mary Boyd Bush.
At heart, he was a family man who enjoyed spending time with his family, playing card games and reading the Sunday newspaper. He was proud of all his children and wanted them to succeed and excel in their chosen professions. He was foremost a writer and poet and taught writing at Rose Poly Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana and Jefferson Community College in Louisville, as well to all his children. He was a man who appreciated the arts, with affection for Charles Dickens, Dylan Thomas, and Vincent van Gogh. He loved the theater, playing tennis, reading, and writing and ministering the word of God. He will be remembered by those in his family for appreciation of the arts, and for encouraging his children to be their best creative selves. The most satisfying and productive time was when he was able to read and write, where he used his time to write and publish poems, including two collections of his poetry. His goal was to write one poem a day.
He is predeceased by his father and mother, and his older sister Irma. He is survived by his sister, Kaye B. Eshnaur of Venice, California, his wife, Mary Boyd and stepdaughters Katie Case, husband Drew and Lucy Heskins, husband Malcolm of Louisville, his five children by his previous marriage, Katrina of Mt. Sterling, OH, Mark of Dover, MA, John of Blacksburg, VA, Colin of Seattle, WA and Kevin of Winthrop, ME, his grandchildren, Salem, Loran, Ian Ballard, Aidan, Anabel, Mirabai and Kabir Kukathas, Madelyn and Andrew “School Bus” Case, Colin and Jack Heskins and the memory of the many terriers he had the pleasure of company for the past 40 years. It seems remarkable that he left the responsibility of writing his obituary to others, who certainly would not do justice to his legacy and varied accomplishments. There are many who admire and love him and will miss him. He is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery.
At heart, he was a family man who enjoyed spending time with his family, playing card games and reading the Sunday newspaper. He was proud of all his children and wanted them to succeed and excel in their chosen professions. He was foremost a writer and poet and taught writing at Rose Poly Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana and Jefferson Community College in Louisville, as well to all his children. He was a man who appreciated the arts, with affection for Charles Dickens, Dylan Thomas, and Vincent van Gogh. He loved the theater, playing tennis, reading, and writing and ministering the word of God. He will be remembered by those in his family for appreciation of the arts, and for encouraging his children to be their best creative selves. The most satisfying and productive time was when he was able to read and write, where he used his time to write and publish poems, including two collections of his poetry. His goal was to write one poem a day.
He is predeceased by his father and mother, and his older sister Irma. He is survived by his sister, Kaye B. Eshnaur of Venice, California, his wife, Mary Boyd and stepdaughters Katie Case, husband Drew and Lucy Heskins, husband Malcolm of Louisville, his five children by his previous marriage, Katrina of Mt. Sterling, OH, Mark of Dover, MA, John of Blacksburg, VA, Colin of Seattle, WA and Kevin of Winthrop, ME, his grandchildren, Salem, Loran, Ian Ballard, Aidan, Anabel, Mirabai and Kabir Kukathas, Madelyn and Andrew “School Bus” Case, Colin and Jack Heskins and the memory of the many terriers he had the pleasure of company for the past 40 years. It seems remarkable that he left the responsibility of writing his obituary to others, who certainly would not do justice to his legacy and varied accomplishments. There are many who admire and love him and will miss him. He is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery.