Dr. Ellis Bush, Sr.

Dr. Ellis M. Bush, Sr., age 86, of Troy, Alabama, passed away Friday, September 11, 2015, at his home. A celebration of his life will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Bush Memorial Baptist Church with Reverends Dwayne Norman and Ellis Bush, Jr. officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of Calvary Baptist Church. Visitations will be Tuesday, September 15, 2015, from 4 – 7 p.m. at Green Hills Funeral Home and Wednesday, September 16, 2015, one hour prior to the service at the church.

Dr. Bush served 68 years in the gospel ministry. In September of l947, at age 17, he was ordained by the Southside Baptist Church in Troy, AL, while his father was serving as pastor. He attended Troy State College two years, and then went to study at Howard College (Samford). He married Juanita Holmes of Troy, and they both finished Howard College in 1951. Together, they went to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, where he graduated in 1956 with B.D. and Th.M. degrees. In 1972, he was honored with a D.D. degree from Samford University. He has served as pastor of churches in Alabama, Indiana and Kentucky. However, most of his ministry was with the Southern Baptist Convention and State Conventions as Editor, Baptist Sunday School Board, Nashville, TN; State Sunday School Director, Alabama; Executive Director for First Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA; Executive Director, Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania-South Jersey; and Bold Mission Thrust Promotion: Executive Committee and Lifeway, SBC, Nashville, TN. Following his retirement in 1993, Dr. Bush served for two years as Interim Pastor for the First Baptist Church of Troy. After a brief break and some travel, Dr. Bush again served as Interim Pastor for Bush Memorial Baptist Church of Troy, the First Baptist Church of Luverne, and Salem Baptist Church of Brundidge. He also was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Troy from 2004-2013.

Dr. Bush was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. and Mrs. W.M. Bush; sister, Lucile Jinright; brothers, Malan Bush, Jennings Bush, Bill Bush, Joe Bush and Freddie Bush. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Juanita Holmes Bush; children, Rev. Ellis M. (Becky) Bush, Jr. of Troy, Joy Bush (Ron) Williams of Colorado Springs, CO, Melody Bush (Dave) Mead of Colorado, Springs, CO, and Dr. Gayle Bush of Troy; grandchildren, Deena Williams and Matt Mead of Colorado, Springs, CO, Mark (Kelley) Williams of Vero Beach, FL, Bethany (Kevin) Werner of El Paso, TX, and Heidi (Derrick) Cook of Foley, AL; great-grandchildren, Micah and Cody Werner; sisters-in-law, Virginia Bush, Isabelle Bush, B.J. Bush; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his honor to Bush Memorial Baptist Church (605 George Wallace Dr. Troy, AL 36081), The Gideons International (4858 County Road 4408 Brundidge, AL 36010), or to The Samaritan’s Purse (PO Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607). Friends and family can sign the guestbook online at www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net. The staff of Green Hills Funeral Home is honored to serve the Bush family.