Gary Forrest Bush

Gary F. Bush, 67, of Waterloo, died Monday, November 30 at UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital.

He was born May 15, 1953, in Waterloo, son of Deforrest B. and Maxine I. Lawson Bush. He graduated from Waterloo West High School in 1971, and attended screw machine school in Rockford, IL.

He married Debbie Tyler October 17, 1970; they later divorced. He married Oky Ill January 17, 1997; she died January 19, 2009. He worked as a machinist starting at John Deere November 18, 1975 working there for 33 years until retiring December 31, 2008.

He was a member of UAW Local 838, and Ducks Unlimited where he sat on the board in Grundy County. He loved the St. Louis Cardinals and fishing with Oky. He greatly enjoyed photography, traveling, and hunting. He was also known as “Cheap Charlie.”

Gary is survived by: his mother, Maxine Vanriper of Waterloo; two sons, Gary E. Bush of Cedar Falls‚ and Dusty (Manila) Bush of Des Moines; two brothers, Randy (Barb) Bush of Waterloo, and Bob (Anita) Bush of Waterloo; step-sister, Diane (Kenny) Monaghan of Denver, CO; and two grandchildren, Alanna and Jackson Bush.

He was preceded in death by: his wife, Oky; father, Deforrest Bush; step-father, Emil VanRiper; and maternal and paternal grandparents.