Barbara Bush

1931 - 2021

KEARNEY - Barbara Bush, 89, of Kearney died Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society-St. John's in Kearney.
Funeral services will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Kearney with the Rev. Sean Daugherty officiating.
Burial will follow the service at the Kearney Cemetery.
Visitation with the family present will be 5-7 p.m. Friday at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services.
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Barbara Jean Bush was born Sept. 16, 1931, in Seward to Vernon Ray and Helen (Hildebrand) Hershberger.
Barbara graduated from Seward High School and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While at the university she was in the Teachers College, a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, and involved in many collegiate organizations. In 1951 she was crowned the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Homecoming Queen. Barbara graduated from college in 1953 and taught high school business in Grand Island High School for one year.
She married Richard Eugene Bush Aug. 22, 1954, and moved to Lincoln where he attend dental school and she taught business for four years at Northeast High School. While in Lincoln Barbara was president of the University of Nebraska dental school's wives club.
Barbara and Richard moved to Kearney in July 1959 and raised their children. During her 62 years in Kearney she organized the Delta X's Alpha Phi chapter in 1963, served as chapter adviser and president of the alumni and district governor of Alpha Phi for four years where she traveled visiting four chapters. Barbara was also a member of P.E.O. since 1951; serving all offices including president of Chapter FN. She was a substitute teacher in Kearney Public Schools and she worked at Good Samaritan Hospital in the administration office as well as radiation therapy. She joined many Bible studies throughout her life. Barbara volunteered as a docent at the Museum of Nebraska Art and she served on the Lied Center Board for Performing Arts for four years.
A UNK scholarship was named after her, the Barbara Hershberger Bush Delta Xi Scholarship Fund Scholarship 2021. Barbara and Richard received a UNK Distinguished Alumni Award in May 2018.
Barbara and Richard have been financial supporters of UNK through the Bush Family Athletic Scholarship Fund and are members of the University of Nebraska Foundation Board of Trustees.
Barbara was the matriarch of the Bush family and was beloved by all. She felt family was most important and was such a wonderful giver of advice. She cared for her entire family deeply and looked forward to every family gathering. She traveled the world with Richard on dental mission trips, including India, Costa Rica, Brazil, West Indies, St. Lucia and other locations. She was known to be a great shopper, hostessing beautiful dinner parties, playing bridge with her friends and knitting scarves, baby blankets and dishcloths for family members. However, her greatest pastime pleasure was sitting and reading a good book.
Survivors include her husband Richard Eugene Bush of 67 years; three children, Stephen (Laura) of Kearney, Beth Ann (Myron) Placek of Omaha and Mark (Kim) of Kearney; nine grandchildren, Katherine (Wade) Goodwin, Andrew (Michelle) Placek, Cami Bush, Mark Placek, Mallory (Ben) Loschen, Garrett (Ashley) Bush, Megan (Ty) Braden, Cori (Lydia) Kreutzer, Morgan (Derek) Hubbard; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorials are suggested to the Barbara Hershberger Bush Delta Xi Scholarship Fund by making checks payable to the University of Nebraska Foundation, P.O. Box 2678, Kearney, NE 68848, denoting the fund name.
Visit hlmkfuneral.com to leave condolences.