Joseph John Bush

On the morning of November 4th, 2020, Joseph Bush passed away in Kalamazoo, MI after a brief illness. Joe was born in Marysville, MI on January 10, 1929. Although he moved with his family to Detroit at a young age and grew up in the city, he always had a special place for small towns. He grew up in the Corktown area of downtown Detroit in the shadows of the old Tiger Stadium. After graduating from high school, Joe enlisted in the Army and served as a code interceptor in the Army Security Agency in Germany. Joe was in the Army from 1946-1948 and began his career at A & P Food Stores shortly after his discharge from the service. At a party he met a young Peggy Cornett shortly after leaving the Army and they were married on New Year's Eve 1949. Joe continued his career with A & P, starting as a butcher and progressing through various management positions until he retired in 1990 as the Director of Operations for Michigan and Ontario. Along the way, Joe and Peggy raised 4 sons and the family moved to Portage in 1969. In Joe's younger years, he was a very good baseball player and played semi-pro ball before getting married. His love of sports continued and he was an avid fan of the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Michigan State Spartans. In addition, he was an inaugural member of the Moors Golf Club in Portage and was a member for over 30 years. The highlight of his golf year was the annual family golf outing held each June known as the Bush Open. The only thing Joe loved more than sports was his family. Joe and Peggy were married for almost 68 years, and in addition to his sons, the couple were blessed with 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Joe is preceded in death by his wife Peggy, son Daniel, parents (Joseph and Clara) and brothers Leonard, Clarence, and Robert. He is survived by his sons Jerry (Diane) Bush, John (Julie) Bush and Steve Bush, Daniel's widow Maureen and siblings Bernice Wilson, Franklin Bush, Shirley Bush and Dennis Bush. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Portage, MI on November 13th at 11am with internment at Ft. Custer Military Cemetery immediately following. Due to Covid restrictions, the service will be limited to family members but will be available to watch via a live stream. The link is available on the church's website. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church where Joe was a parishioner for over 50 years. Donations will be utilized by the church for in-house projects. While visiting Joe’s webpage at www.avinkcremation.com please sign the guestbook by lighting a candle, and/or sharing a memory with the family. The family is being assisted by Avink Funeral Home; 5975 Lovers Lane in Portage.