Virginia Nell Yocham Bush, age 87, of Brookesmith, passed away Saturday, February 11, 2017 at a local nursing home.
Funeral Services for Nell will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 18, 2017, at Blaylock Funeral Home Chapel with Bill Wells officiating; burial will follow at Richland Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Blaylock Funeral Home. Arrangements are under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood.
Virginia Nell Yocham was born April 21, 1949, to Joseph Harvey and Cordelia (Hughes) Yocham in Eden, Texas. She attended school at Evant and Pottsville, Texas. On July 6, 1947, she and Melvin Glen Bush were married at the First Baptist Church of Pottsville. God blessed them with three children, 8 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
She and Glen made several moves in their life and during the drought of the 50’s moved their family to Mississippi where she played basketball on a women’s team and Glen roped and helped his brother clear land to be put into soy bean fields. Nell had several jobs while there; one at an elastic factory where she ran a loom and when threads broke she would climb up looms that were as tall as 15 feet to tie it back. Coming back to Texas they moved to Andrews where she would sew for the public making dresses and suits for other ladies all the while sewing for her own family. In 1963, they moved to Brownwood where she was employed at the shirt factory at the airport, later working at Bealls as clerk and alterations; and finally she went to work at Brownwood Hospital in the office until she retired.
She was always a willing room mother for her children. When Glenda’s class asked her if her Mom could go on their Sr. trip as a chaperone Glenda said, “No she has to work” as she didn’t want Mom to go and did not even tell her until much later. She and Glen did though help with Ray’s class trip. Nell and Glen were always happy to have friends of their kids at their house because then they knew for certain where they were. Two of these friends would end up living with them so they could finish school.
Nell was a Cub Scout leader for Ray and a Girl Scout leader for Glenda and was in charge of the cookie sales; we had our living room full of cookies for the scouts to sell at that time door to door. She was a member of Brookesmith Baptist Church where she taught a children’s Sunday school class for a number of years. She was a member of the Brookesmith Fire Dept. Auxiliary. She always had a freezer full of food to be taken out at a minutes’ notice to firemen fighting fires. Nell was also a member of the Business and Professions Women’s Club of Brownwood. She was an aid at Brookesmith School until her health began to fail.
She and Glen never missed a Mustang sporting event in town or out from 1966 until her health failed …..even though she had grandchildren on the dreaded rival Rochelle teams…she would say “guess we have to sit in the middle of field or court”. They were named Brookesmith Mustang’s Fan of the year 2005 ~ 2006.
She was preceded in death by her parents; In-Laws; 3 sisters; 2 brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
Nell is survived by her husband of 69 years Glen Bush of Brookesmith; sons, Ray Bush and wife Sheila, Joe Bush and wife Debbie all of Brookesmith; daughter, Glenda Ranne and husband Joey of Brady; grandchildren, Stacey Maxwell and husband Donald of Brownwood, Cindy Duncan and husband Dusty of Lometa, Quad Ranne and wife Cathy of Houston, Michael Bush, Jesse Bush and wife Barbara of Coleman, Waylon Bush of Brownwood, Brandon Bush of Brookesmith, Sierra Bush and Hunter Bennett of Midland; 11 great-grandchildren; one brother, Harvey Yocham and wife Joyce of Huett, Texas; one brother-in-law, Sam Bush of Brownwood; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
In lieu of flowers the family request donations can be made to Brookesmith Volunteer Fire Dept or Solaris Hospice. Online condolences for the family are welcome at www.blaylockfuneralhome.com.
