Brenda Bush
January 31, 1955 - April 30, 2025
Brenda Bush was indescribably important to so many people. There could never be enough words to capture her spirit and what she gave to the world. At her core, she was a faithful sister, a loyal friend, and dedicated mother. Without warning, Brenda left us on April 30, 2025, after suffering a heart attack.
Brenda Sue Patridge was born to Lois Helen Headlee and Oran "Boone" Partridge, Jr. in Clay City, Illinois, a place that always held a special place in her heart. Susie, as Brenda was called in her childhood, was the second youngest of four: Sherry (Phillips) was the oldest, Larry was next, with Russ rounding out the quartet.
In 1960, when Brenda was only 5, her father died in a plane crash. The tragedy brought the family closer. Sherry and Brenda became inseparable. Together with their brothers, the kids helped Lois with everyday chores, and her monstrous vegetable canning operation.
In junior high, Susie became Brenda and developed her quick wit and cadre of lifelong girlfriends. After high school, Brenda went on to study dental hygiene at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois. She was the first in her family to go on to post-secondary education. It was through the dental field that Brenda met John Bush, a recent dental school graduate who was practicing with his father in their hometown, Rossville, Illinois. John still remembers seeing Brenda during her job interview, for a position that he had to invent, saying he knew she was the one. Needless to say, Brenda got the job.
John and Brenda left Illinois in the 1980s, moving to Seattle. The couple married on June 30, 1984, the same day they closed on a house in the Leschi neighborhood. Their wedding took place on their new deck overlooking Lake Washington, because they didn't yet have furniture.
Two darling baby girls, Chelsea and Katie, followed. After Chelsea took an unaccompanied stroll outside the house, the family moved to Woodway in 1988, where Brenda and John raised their daughters. Brenda settled into their new community, making friends, joining the local tennis club, and working with John and the girls on a garden rivaling farms from their Midwest upbringings.
Within the last three years, Brenda's world grew: Katie married Derek Yates. Chelsea married Jonny Paris. The couple welcomed son Boone, named after Brenda's father, in April 2024. Baby Boone brought endless joy to Brenda, who barely put him down. Brenda will always be remembered for her generous presence, welcoming hugs, and easy laugh. Some of Brenda's ashes will be spread in Clay City, Illinois, on her parents' graves.
In honor of what an amazing mother and grandmother Brenda was, please consider donating to a charity helping young mothers in need: https://babiesofhomelessness.org