|
 January
5, 2010 - Home furnishings and
mattress industry veteran
Bobby Wesley Bush Sr., 78,
of Hickory, passed away Jan. 2,
2010, at Frye Regional Medical
Center. Born March 12, 1931, in
Rahway, N.J., he was the son of
the late Julius Pinkney and
Wilma Ware Bush. In addition to
his parents, Mr. Bush was
preceded in death by a son, John
William Bush. After graduating
from Riverside Military Academy
in Gainesville, Ga., as the
ranking cadet, Mr. Bush then
graduated from Duke University,
Class of 1953, Phi Beta Kappa.
Mr. Bush was a chief architect
in the foundation and success of
Hickory Springs Manufacturing
Company. He devoted his
entire professional career to
the company. Bush spent most of
his summers as a youth working
at Hickory Springs. His
dedication and passion for the
business was only surpassed by
that for his family. He lived
and breathed Hickory Springs.
Bob was a man of strong
convictions and supported those
convictions in all that he did.
You knew where he stood and what
he stood for. He was always
thinking of ways to do things
better, how to be more creative,
and how to make the company
stronger. That never lessened in
those 50-plus years with the
company.
Longtime family friend Don
Coleman, president of Hickory
Springs, had this to say about
Bush in an inter-company memo:
"His compassion for all of those
he met was evident. He was more
than just a sincere guy, he was
always your greatest supporter.
Work with him or for him and you
knew immediately. He took great
pride in the employees who
worked for the betterment of the
Company.
Hickory Springs has lost a true
pioneer in our business and in
the industries we serve. We have
so much to celebrate in having
him with us for the past
seventy-eight years. His legacy
is with us, as is evident in
what Hickory Springs is today."
Bob served on many boards within
the home furnishings industry.
These include the Suppliers
Division of AHFA, International
Sleep Products Association,
Polyurethane Foam Association,
the Bienenstock Furniture
Library and the American
Furniture Hall of Fame.
He was awarded the Exceptional
Service Award and the McMorran
Memorial Award given by the
suppliers council within ISPA.
He served as second president of
the AFMA Suppliers Council and
in 2006 Bob was inducted into
the American Furniture Hall of
Fame. In 2008, Bob was awarded
Alumni of the Year from
Riverside Military Academy in
Georgia.
He is survived by his wife of 58
years, Jane Blackwood Bush of
the home; two sons, Bobby Bush
Jr. of Hickory and Jimmy Bush
and wife, Donna, of Hickory;
grandchildren, Stephanie Bush of
Charlotte, Cory Bush of
Mooresville, Lindsey Bush of
Denver, Colo., Jay Bush of
Raleigh and Amanda Bush of
Raleigh; great-grandchildren,
Jorge and Jake Bush of
Charlotte; and a sister, Betty
Bush Wright of Winchester, Va. |
