Irvin M. "Rush" Rushing, 89, a long time Beaumont resident, passed away on July 9, 2008 in Austin, Texas.
Born in Ben Franklin, Texas on February 6, 1919, he was the only son of I. M. "Carl" and Myrtle Rushing and mainly grew up in the Gainsville, Texas area. Rush obtained a B.S. and M.S. in Industrial Education at North Texas State University. In October, 1949, he moved to Beaumont to teach at South Park High School. There he met Leah St. John, a fellow teacher, and they were married from April 7, 1950 until her death September 11, 2000. He left Beaumont in 2002 to be closer to his daughter's family.
He entered the Naval Air Force in November, 1941. He served for five years as a 3rd class petty officer airplane mechanic naval inspector and helped build hurricane hunters in Corpus Christi.
His 30-year career in South Park Independent School District included ten years of teaching Industrial Education during which he was awarded the Teacher of the Year of Southeast Texas Industrial Arts Education. For twenty years, he served as an elementary school principal. In 1960, he opened Caldwood Elementary School and stayed there for fifteen years before moving to Regina Howell Elementary and then Peitzch Elementary until his retirement in 1980.
During these years he served on All Saints School Board and President of South Park Classroom Teachers Association. He was one of the ten founders of the South Park Teachers Credit Union, now known as Education First Federal Credit Union. Rush also helped establish The Texas State Industrial Arts Association. He was well known to friends and family for his love of the outdoors and fishing.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his two sisters, Oleta Cummins and Wanda Eastman. He is survived by his daughter, Becky Condra and son-in-law Neil Condra of Austin; granddaughter, Heather Martinez and her husband D.J. Martinez of Brownwood, Texas and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 12, 2008, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont.
