Ed Bush, 80

Edwin Goff Bush passed away in his home at the age of 80 Monday morning, Jan. 25, 2016, surrounded by his family after a courageous three-year battle with cancer. He was born on Jan. 4, 1936, in Weston, W.Va.

His childhood was full of pranks and mischief which followed with him throughout his life. At the age of 12, he met 9-year-old Gertrude Garton who became his beautiful bride on June 3, 1961. As a young man, Ed jumped freight trains to the Pacific Northwest and fell in love with the woods of North Idaho. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and was accepted into medical school. He decided that his love of the outdoors and the woods trumped the life of a doctor and he became a logger instead.

He proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps and enjoyed telling the story of the 147-mile march that he participated in and completed which was printed in Life Magazine. He moved his wife and two small children across the United States, dodging tornadoes, with a car and small trailer crowned with a hobby horse and chainsaw. After settling down on their beloved Blue Creek farm, three more children were born.

He loved fishing, hunting, camping, logging, his hound dog, Spike and reading westerns and the Bible. He was a wonderful and loving father and grandfather who would have done anything for his kids and grandchildren. When his children were young, he closed each night by telling an original bedtime story and saying a prayer. His love for his wife was inspiring and they enjoyed almost 55 years of wonderful marriage.

His parents and sister preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude; son Clinton Goff Bush (Julie Bush) of Weston; daughter Cecilia Lu Fry (Ken Fry) of Spokane; daughter Cynthia Ann Stintzi (Guy Stintzi) of Spokane Valley; son Nathanael Thomas Bush (Bonnie Niles-Bush) of Coeur d’Alene; daughter Lisa Marie Hebeisen (Scott Hebeisen) of San Diego; and grandchildren Robert James Kuyper, Adam Michael Stintzi, Aaron Race Stintzi and Eliza Dale Bush.

He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. In lieu of flowers, vote Republican. His memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, at the Blue Wolf Community Hall on Blue Creek Road in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene, is in care of the arrangements. You may visit Ed’s online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.