Lynne Bush

Madison - Lynne Schwarm Bush, age 85, passed away October 14, 2018 at Attic Angels Place from complications of her 35-year battle with severe clinical depression. Lynne was born to Walter Paul and Marion Greisen Schwarm on August 17, 1933. She grew up in Wauwatosa, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Upon graduation, Lynne taught third grade at Dudgeon School in Madison. She married her cherished husband, Bill Bush, on December 17, 1955.

Lynne and Bill were devoted to their family. Lynne taught at Dudgeon School until the birth of their first child. She then loved being a stay-at-home mom and realized as an adult what a privilege that had been. Bill supported them while working at the Hanks & Bush Insurance Agency with his father and brother. After her children were in public school, she re-entered the workforce at Shorewood Hills Elementary School, serving in a variety of positions and eventually becoming an English as a Second Language teacher at Shorewood. Lynne also taught ESL at Leopold Elementary School in Madison.

Lynne and Bill lived in six Madison homes: Their first apartment on Madison Street, their first house on Mason Street, three houses in Shorewood Hills, and their final move to Prairie Point, where they found joy in their home, neighborhood, some old friends and many new ones. They also built a house high on a hill outside Mazomanie, where the girls had their horse Skylark and pony Raisin, while the boys shared their black Labrador Nuisance. The whole family learned about country living, the pleasures and the hard work that go with it. Bill had a large tool collection and could build and maintain almost anything around the homes. Lynne enjoyed get-togethers with family and friends, attending church and Bible studies, reading, creative memories scrapbooking, listening to classical music, Door County, camping in her 70's, certain wildlife and horses, and writing letters, cards and the "Family Is Family" newsletter. Lynne and Bill loved all their grandchildren very much. The grandkids had numerous sleep overs and played at Lynne and Bill's house as often as possible. Lynne's license plate, dedicated to her grandchildren, is GRMOF9. Also close to her heart were three dogs: her golden retriever Muffin, Julie's golden retriever Daisy, and Julie's/Bill and Lynne's Maltipoo Melvin, who now basks in the California sun with Sue's family.

Lynne is survived by her daughter Sue (Greg) Robers of Carlsbad, CA and their children Kyle and Connor; son Andy (Anna) Bush of Boulder, CO and their children Austin, Hudson and Isabella; son Scott (Ann) Bush of Madison and their children Stella and Margo; and granddaughters Nikky Zimbrick of New York City, NY and Ella Zimbrick of Madison. Lynne is survived by special nieces Lynne (Jim) Pope of Stoughton and their children Trevor and Julia; and Katie Schwarm of Washington, DC. She is also survived by brother-in-law Henry Bush of Madison and many nieces and nephews on Bill's side of the family. Lynne is preceded in death by her husband Bill, her beloved daughter Julie, her dear brother Jay Schwarm, and Jay's wife Helen.

The family sends their sincere appreciation and thanks to Lynne's special friend Vicki, Diann, Laura, the staff at Attic Angels Place, Dr. Jennifer Everton, Dr. Jeremy Peacock, Dr. Michael Shapiro, Agrace, and others in the Madison medical community, who all provided world class care, comfort and compassion to Lynne. Vicki, you and others brought sunshine into Lynne's life, when she didn't have any of her own - God bless you. Mom, Peace Be With You.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Attic Angels Place, one of Madison's mental health organizations, or a charity of your choice.

"......Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:1 NIV

Please join the family for a Celebration of Lynne's Life, to be held at Attic Angel Place, 8301 Old Sauk Road, Middleton, on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. The service will start at 11:30 a.m., followed by food and friendship. A private burial of Lynne and Bill's ashes will also be held at a later date.

The gift of life poem:

Life is God's gift to us,
What we do with our life
Is our gift to God
If we had been given only
One day of life, it would
Have been generous.
If we had been given only
One friend to share the
Journey of time, it would
Have been generous.
If we had been given only
One storm that left us un-
Harmed, it would have been
Generous.
If we had been given only
One moment's pride in the
Success of our labors, it
Would have been generous.
But we have been given life
And time, joy and sorrow,
Sunshine and storms, laughter
And tears, gifts to share
And days to remember.
May we in gratitude give
Back to Life what we so generously receive from the Giver of Life.
----- Anonymous

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." 2John v.6 NIV

P.S. As you may have guessed, I wrote my own obituary, wanting it to be personal.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434