Marjorie (Margie) Bush

Just one-month shy of her 88th birthday, Marjorie (Margie) Bush of Beaverton, Oregon quietly left her earthly residence for her eternal heavenly home on Nov. 5, 2016 amid loving family members.

Family and friends gathered at the home of Marc and Virginia Peterson in Beaverton, Oregon to share memories and celebrate her life on Dec. 4, 2016. A memorial service is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2017 at the Palmer Christian Church, Mile 0.5 East Scott Road, Palmer, Alaska.

Margie’s life journey began in the loving, Christian home of Sam (VanderJagt) Schuit and Ethel (Macklin) Schuit of Bellingham, Washington on Dec. 4, 1928. Family hikes on local forest trails, swimming in the bay, or winter sledding the snowy hillside streets with her parents, cousin Syd, or her older siblings, Peter and Louise planted cherished childhood memories. The seeds for a lifelong love of music and the piano took root here. With the beginning of World War II, the family moved to Portland, Oregon where she attended Washington High School. Following her graduation, she continued her education at a business school acquiring office skills that served her well in various jobs throughout her working experiences.

The “grown up” evolution progressed with her marriage to Glen Neuharth. Over the years they welcomed the addition of three children: Mark, Nora and Nancy Neuharth. But one of life’s challenges arrived and for a period of time she was a single mom. Then she met, fell in love with, and married Maurice (Maury) Bailey, father to Larry, Warren, Kathy, and Raymond Bailey. The happy blended home expanded two more times with the births of Samuel and Virginia Bailey. The opportunity for new adventures began when the family moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1965. It was there Margie and Maury’s shared love of music drew them to participate in the Anchorage Community Chorus for several years. She often played piano or sang in their church choirs with Maury. After the older children started their own families, Margie and Maury left Alaska with their two youngest children for Hillsboro, Oregon in 1976.

Strong family ties and the desire to be near their grandchildren drew Margie and Maury back to Alaska in 1990. They loved their life together until his death in 1998. Later she married longtime Palmer resident Dale Bush. They continued to enjoy their golden years with each other’s extended families. After Dale’s death, Margie moved to Beaverton, Oregon, near her youngest daughter’s family. Family, faith and church activities, music, pets, and occasionally jobs outside the home kept life bustling for Margie. Throughout her life, she addressed life’s pleasures and challenges with a grateful and faith-filled perspective. Her love for her Lord, her husband, and children always remained her top priority.

Her survivors include Larry Bailey of St. George, Utah; Nancy and Robert Lovy of Woodinville, Washington; Warren and Kathy Bailey from Anchorage, Alaska; Kathy O’Neal, Mark and Rita Neuharth of Wasilla, Alaska; Nora and Bob Firmin Eagle River, Alaska; Raymond and Marsha Bailey of Palmer, Alaska; Sam Bailey of Portland, Oregon; and Virginia (Ginger) and Marc Peterson of Beaverton, Oregon; 22 grandchildren; 27 great grandchildren; and 11 great, great grandchildren. This does not count all of their spouses, who were equally important to her.