Burl Bush

Lt. Col. (ret'd.) Burl K. Bush died April 1, 2008, in Conway, Arkansas. Born in El Paso, Arkansas in 1917, he was reared in Conway and retired to Little Rock after a career in the Air Force. He was the son of John Marvin and Cordelia Voss Bush.
He was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Anna Lee (Estes) Bush, originally of Melbourne, Arkansas. Survivors include three daughters, Katherine Novak and husband John of Fayetteville; Susan Bell of Trinity, Texas; and Sarah Rivers of Conway; five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.
Aside from a number of awards he earned in the military, Burl Bush was proudest of a commemorative booklet he had published in honor of his wife's award-winning quilts. It was titled Piecing the Kingdom.
Bush graduated from Arkansas State Teachers' College, taught a year in Melbourne, where he met his future wife, and then went to war. He served two years in England and one year in France. Korea followed. In 1954 he served as the youngest officer to help build the Air Force Academy.
After retirement, he worked on the Arkansas Planning Commission. There he contributed to the publication Disappearing Wetlands in Eastern Arkansas, which was later incorporated into Arkansas Area Natural Plan.
His final official employment was with the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Unofficially, he continued in other capacities as Commander of American Legion Post Number 1, Sunday school teacher at his church, member of the Elks Club and the Dance Club of Little Rock. He loved to dance, and the phrase "That's no hill for a stepper" became a slogan for overcoming any obstacle in life.
His children will remember a loving father and a life filled with travel and stories. Burl Bush will be remembered fondly by all who knew him.
Services will be held at Pulaski Heights Methodist Church (chapel) in Little Rock on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be at Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway.