Requiem: Jim Bushong

Yesterday Lynn Thompson published the death announcement of James Bushong, better known as Jim, on the Lord Botetourt alumni site. What can be said about this notable long-time educator and friend of Botetourt County is that he deserves a few lines in memorial.

Jim graduated from LBHS in 1963 according to Thompson his life long friend. He taught at BTEC and Lord Botetourt before retiring. He was a friendly and smiling man.

He continued to substitute teach, to mentor and offer assistance to BTEC over the course of the past ten years or so in his retirement. He was a community citizen of the strongest type. His work with Kiwanis Club  of Botetourt was legendary. He knew how to ring the bell, to take up dollars on Friday mornings  meetings and to help find scholarship recipients and tap the Educator of the Year at school board meetings.

In his zest, thousands of canned goods were taken up in holiday food drives at BTEC. He did his best to help young people see the need to be part of their community. “To help and assist,” could have been Jim’s lifelong motto. He wanted everyone to have a fair shake.

Thousands of students were impacted by his friendly, can do manner over the course of his life and his interaction with them. He loved everything about his job with young people. From A-Z at BTEC he stood beside the students in everything from the mundane classroom work to SkilsUSA competitions to just being a friendly face in the life of a teen. Jim Bushong was a man you could count on.

Here are a few of his particulars:

Bushong was an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Botetourt County. He served as  the champion behind between Kiwanis and the school division yearly for the Educator of the Year Award. He also assisted with the Kiwanis Club Scholarship Award for a senior from both James River and Lord Botetourt High Schools.

Bushong also organized the canned food drive held at Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) at Thanksgiving and Christmas giving the diverse student body at the school something to work toward together. About 100 families per year benefited from these efforts.

He was the Richard Henegar Kindness Award winner 2017. He was recognized for his years of service by state organization VATIE in 2017 for Technical Ed. He worked with CTE students on their soft work place skills and served on the CTE Advisory Board.

No one was ever more enthusiastic with the Kiwanis bell awarded to Educator of the Year or in his praise for the recipient. He also assisted with the Kiwanis Club Scholarship Awards at the High Schools.

He was a husband, father, grandfather and friend. Rest in peace, Jim. We will miss your smiles.

–Cathy Benson