Funeral services for Willis Coy Mushrush, 84, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 9, 2012, in the Rose Chapel at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Mushrush died at 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at West Vue Nursing Center.
He was born October 5, 1927, at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, to William Ernest Mushrush and Eva Jones Mushrush. On April 14, 1949, he was married at Hocomo, Missouri, to Ruby Joyce. He was a veteran having served with the United States Army. Mr. Mushrush was of the Baptist Faith and was a member of First Baptist Church for many years.
Mr. Mushrush was a lifelong educator and local area businessman. He held a BS in Education in 1955 from Southwest Missouri State, Springfield, Missouri and MS for Teachers in 1964 from University of Missouri, Rolla, Missouri and Education Specialist in 1975 from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. He had taught at Labette County High School, Altamont, Kansas, West Plains High School, Willow Springs Schools, and Southwest Missouri State University, West Plains. He had been a director for Central Ozark Economic Opportunity Corporation, owner of J. W. Mushrush and Company and was a past member of Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education, Missouri Council of Mathematics Teachers, West Plains Community Teachers Association, West Plains Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Community Action Directors Association andCurriculum Directors Association. Mr. Mushrush was instrumental in starting the Headstart Program in West Plains which was a pilot program for Headstart nationwide.
He is survived by his wife, Ruby Mushrush, of the family home; two sons, Willis Mushrush, Jr., wife, Lisa, and Jack Eugene Mushrush; five grandchildren, Zackary, Jacob, Chandler and Nicholas Mushrush and Courtney Jacobson, husband, Brian; one great-grandson, Theodore; two brothers, Roy Mushrush, wife, Midge, Bakersfield, California and Willard Mushrush, Riverside, California; three sisters, Geraldine Goetting, Fresno, California, Cleeon Hawkins and Lola Wade, husband, Gene, Tehachapi, California; two brothers-in-law, Bob Joyce, wife, Pat and Bill Joyce, wife, Mary Ann; all of West Plains, Missouri; "Special" grandchildren, Nathan, Heather and Erin Callahan; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His parents, one brother, Chester, one sister, Jean, mother-in-law and father-in-law, and four brothers-in-law, precede him in death.
Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m., until 8:00 p.m., Sunday, July 8, 2012, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Amy Union Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Amy Cemetery or charity of choice, and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.