JIMMY L. "JIM" RUSH

JIMMY L. "JIM" RUSH of Cleveland, TN died September 9, 2013 at the age of 74. He was a licensed Georgia and Tennessee funeral director and embalmer, and founded the Jim Rush Funeral Homes. In 1964, he worked at Buckner Funeral Home, managing it after it was bought by another company, then Ralph Buckner Jr., and he bought the firm and the two became partners, renaming it Buckner Rush Funeral Homes. Ralph Buckner Jr., sold his share of the business to Rush in 1978, and it was wholly owned by the Rush family. Greg Rush, the oldest son of Jim and Judith, managed the business after it was sold to Prime Succession in 1993. In 2003, the Rush family bought the business once again, making it a family owned business. Jim was a graduate of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He was asked to be the commencement speaker at the graduation at Gupton Jones Mortuary College is Atlanta, GA. He was a member of the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association, serving as president from 1993 until 1994.