Sarah Alice Bush (née Vance) passed away in Laurel on Dec. 22, 2023. She was born on July 27, 1927, in Laurel to Charley and Rachel (Polly) Vance.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years Marvin Latrelle Bush.
She is survived by three children; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Sarah attended Shady Grove High School and Jones County Junior College. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Mississippi State University in 1949, where she was also a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. Post-graduation, she taught chemistry at Calhoun High School.
A philanthropist at heart, Sarah spent a wealth of time volunteering in educational organizations, where she could infuse her love of science, particularly horticulture and ornithology, into her work. In addition to competitive floral design, she was a Master Gardener and active with MSU Extension Service programs, such as 4H. Sarah was also a member of the Mimosa Garden Club of Laurel and the Laurel/ Jones County Council of Garden Clubs, where she served a term as president. She was a part of the Pine Woods Audubon Society and participated in conservation programs such as banding birds for migratory tracking purposes.
Throughout the years, friends and family came to look forward to Sarah’s extensive holiday traditions, including Easter egg hunts and gingerbread men that she made for all her children and grandchildren to take to school each year. In her free time, she loved to travel, tend to her garden and spend time boating and at the beach with her family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Mississippi State University Extension Service or the Pine Woods Audubon Society.
To sign the online guestbook, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.
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