John Rush, 96, of Pensacola called home by his Heavenly Father on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, after a short illness.

John was born in Freeport, IL, on June 14, 1926. After his graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a radioman in the Philippine Islands during World War II. After the war, he attended Bradley University and embarked on a new career as a teacher of Industrial Electronics in a vocational technical school in Virginia.

It was there that he met his wife, Gloria Mildred "Peach" Rush, to whom he was married for over fifty years. The couple was blessed with two daughters: Sarah and Virginia "Ginny." In the late 1950s John returned to Bradley for his master's degree and began a new career with the U.S. Navy Exam Center in Illinois. He was transferred to Pensacola, FL in 1974, where he continued his civil service career until he retired in 1986.

John was a ham radio operator, private pilot, and an avid bass fisherman. He was very talented with his hands and at one time his brother, nephew and he doubled the size of his family's home in Libertyville. He had an especially strong interest in Civil War and WWII history. John also spent a great deal of time on genealogical research and cataloging old family photographs.

John is preceded in death by his wife Peach and his daughter Sarah.

He is survived by his daughter, Ginny and his "favorite son-in-law", Thomas Roberson. He also leaves behind his nephew, Jim Rush (Kathy), his niece, Mary Lee Schultz, as well as several other nieces, nephews, and cherished friends.

Special thanks are given to his caregiver, Mona Cranke, who became like one of the family during his illness.

Memorial Services will be 2:00pm, Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel, 2276 Airport Blvd, Pensacola, FL Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the United Services Organization (USO), Humane Society of the United States, or Covenant Hospice.

The family would like to express a special thanks are also given to Covenant Hospice for their assistance during this time.