Wesley Bruce "Bus" Jungquist, age 91, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at his home in Burlington, Washington.

He was born March 15, 1918 at Fir Island, Washington to Arthur and Edith (Bruce) Jungquist.

Bus grew up in Burlington and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School with the class of 1936. During high school, he played basketball on the varsity basketball team. After graduation, he attended Washington State University in Pullman for one year where he met his future wife, Bernice Benson. They were married on November 4, 1939 at the Presbyterian Church in Burlington and they would have celebrated 70 years together this year.

During WWII, Bus served as a Staff Sergeant with the 765th BN in Italy from July of 1943 until his discharge in March of 1946. After returning home, he and Bernice resided at their home on Bennett Street in Sedro-Woolley while working at a food processing plant in Burlington. In 1949, he took over his father and mother-in-law's grocery store on Jameson Street and operated it as Bus's Grocery for 15 years. He then worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. for a couple of years. In 1967, he and Bernice opened Bus Jungquist Furniture on Metcalf Street in Sedro-Woolley and ran it for 40 years until his retirement in April of 2008.

Bus was a member of the Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club for 51 years (president from 1966-1967), a member of the Skagit Golf & Country Club, Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce, a 50-year member of George Baldridge Post #43 American Legion and belonged to the congregation of Trinity United Presbyterian Church. He served on the Sedro-Woolley City Council for six years and was active in the retail trade association in Sedro-Woolley for many years. His main focus in life was always trying to help people and family.

Bus loved the water and the beach, but most of all he loved to golf, especially with his long-time friends, Dick Mulholland and Ken Carpenter. He also liked to have lunch with another long-time friend, Paul Kelley. He enjoyed doing business and staying in touch with Mel Roebuck of Lane Furniture. After his retirement, Bus looked forward to his weekly lunches at the Country Club on Wednesdays and lunch on Tuesdays with good friends. His favorite meeting place was Joy's Bakery in Sedro-Woolley. Bus loved sports and he will be remembered by his family for his dollar bets on sporting events with his children and grandchildren and card games with Bernice.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Edith Jungquist and sister, Irene Wilson.

He is survived by his wife, Bernice of Burlington; his children, Christie and her husband Ian of Edinburgh, Scotland; Shauna and her husband Bruce of Bow and Craig and his wife Kathy of Sedro-Woolley; five grandchildren, Krissa and her husband Brian, Brennan, Chelsa, Bridgette and Michael; a great-grandson, Cadel; a nephew, Bruce Wilson of Seattle; and two nieces, Ann Reynolds of Edmonds and Shary DeMarcy of Mount Vernon.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Skagit Hospice and Visiting Angels for the care given to Bus.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 11:00am at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Wendy Tingley of the Trinity United Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in La Conner with a pot luck fellowship to follow at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center.

Memorials are suggested to Skagit Hospice or Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club Scholarship Fund in Bus's memory. Share memories of Bus and sign the online guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Skagit Valley Herald on Apr. 4, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for WESLEY JUNGQUIST

5 Entries

Bob and Brenda Davis

April 9, 2009

To all the famliy of "Bus" What a man and a Great man he was, so kind and always giving to help out with clubs, people in need, etc...Loved his wife and family and was so well loved by everyone in the Valley... Craig this message is for you...You remember all the great things about your dad and he will never be gone just away for a while...one day you will see him again.. let your dad go now and rest in peace..until you meet again... God be with all the family... Our prayers are with the whole family. ... Bob and Brenda Davis.. Sedro Woolley, Wa.

Pam Rolfson

April 8, 2009

It was 3 years ago that my dad, "Jungle" Jim Rolfson also passed away. I can remember Bus calling and talking furniture with my dad...my dad called it friendly competition. I am so sorry for your loss..2 great Skagit Valley furnitures guys will be sorely missed.

Cyndi Pfeifer

April 6, 2009

Our hearts go out to your family at this difficult time. Bus touched the heart of everyone who knew him. We are priveledged to have known him and honored to have shared his wit and wisdom. I hope there is Banana Cream pie where he is now!!
Sincerely,
Cyndi, Alicia, Nicholas and family

Noel Bourasaw

April 4, 2009

Bus was not only a dear friend for many years but he was a prime source of history facts, as was his wife Bernice. For 40+ years, he sold all variety of furniture, much of it in the old Penney's store in Sedro-Woolley after moving across the street in 1985. In earlier years he owned the old grocery store of his father-in-law, which in turn was the original Stendal grocery and confectionery on Central Street. From the original photo that hung on his office wall, we deduced that the earlier store may have been one of the oldest business buildings in town.

He always loved to chat about old businesses and pioneers and their descendants and could still remember details about his earliest customers from four decades ago. One of my favorite moments with Bus occurred last year when we invited a prominent developer to lunch to look at possible investment in downtown Sedro-Woolley. At age 90, Bus was nearly 30 years older than we who were in our 60s, but he provided insight and important information about the business scene on Metcalf Street from nearly a half century ago when retail was king until today when the town adjusts once more to a change in economy and outlook.

I missed talking to Bus in the last two months because of my own illness, and I regret that I did not have one more opportunity to enjoy his company. My heart goes out to Craig, who worked with his father at the store for nearly 30 years, his sisters and Bernice. And I note the coincidence that his friend Edna Drummond also passed at almost the same time. They were both 91, both would have been married to their spouses for 70 years later this year, and both were bedrocks of old downtown Woolley. You can read about his life as a retailer at www.skagitriverjournal.com We'll miss your smile, Bus.

Diane, the Cake Lady, Falk

April 4, 2009

I was deeply saddened to read of Bus' death. I met him many years ago, when I first opened my business at the Mission Market in Sedro-Woolley. He was a wonderful man. He was funny, sweet, very insightful, and I considered him a mentor. We had many conversations about business, friends, and the frailty of the human condition.
My Lemon Cake was a favorite of his, and since his birthday was the same as my daughter's (March 15), I never forgot it. His health prevented him from eating cake in his later years, which I know saddened him. We'd only spoken occasionally in the last year or so, as my husband and I moved to Bellingham. He was, however, in my thoughts frequently.
My deepest condolences to his family. I will miss him, as well.

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