Winifred Bush

Winifred "Winnie" may Bush of Yuba City, CA, born August 17, 1938, passed at home on June 6, 2025.She graduated from the University of Tennessee and later taught first grade at Lone Tree School on Beale AFB for 39 years.She is survived by Bob Bush, her husband of 47 years; step daughters and their husbands, Tonie and Michael Kellar, of Vilsec, Germany, Teri and Jason Burgess of Chico, CA, Michelle Payne of Yuba City, CA, Stephanie and Roger Reynolds of Meridian, CA, and Jennifer and Kelly Harvey of Smartsville, CA; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a God-daughter; nephew; nieces; and scads of great-greats, all of whom got personalized cards with cat drawings that Winnie happily made for them.Her mom, Winifred Lynch, also known as Sunny and Momie, was also a teacher, and passed away in 2007. Her father, David Carson, contracted a disease in China in WWII, when he was with the Red Cross, and passed away much later from complications with it.Winnie belonged to the California Teachers Association, and once served as president of the Wheatland Elementary School District chapter.Military families move all over the world. Still, many of her "kids" have kept in contact with her over the years. She has had local visitors, gone to weddings, had phone calls, emails, and face-booked with kids and parents.She loved what she did, and for whom she did it. A friend once told me Winnie could teach kids to read even if her classroom were a cave with no lights.Another key to her success was the support and thoughtfulness of her colleague friends. She loved what she did, who she was doing it for, and those who shared the calling. As a neighbor said after she passed, "Sweet lady."There will be no funeral service, but a remembrance will be held in July. Date, time, and place are to be determined. If you can make it, please come with something silly or funny she said or did, and share it with others.Winnie was a cat lady. You can honor her by making a donation to the local SPCA, or FieldHaven Feline Center, 2754 Ironwood Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648.