Emma A. Rush

Funeral services for Emma Alvina (Schmedemann) Rush , 103, of Junction City, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 630 S. Eisenhower. Calling hours will be June 30th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel, 203 N. Washington. She passed away on June 25th, 2009, just three days short of her 104th birthday. In lieu of flowers, the family recommends donations to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Emma's name.

Emma was born June 29th, 1905 to Gustav and Amelia (Ascher) Schmedemann in rural
Alta Vista, Kansas. The family moved to a farm on the upper Humboldt Creek where Emma attended the St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Geary County Schools. Her father didn't think girls needed more than an 8th grade education, so that was as far as she went in school. She was quite proud to have achieved the highest test score for all eighth grade students in Geary County the year she graduated.

She worked for the Tyler/Trott family whose home was on the site of the current Sunflower Bank. They owned an electric car and often took her on rides in the evenings.

On February 16, 1926 she married Clifford L. Rush. They eventually moved to the Rush family farm located near the old town of Milford, where they lived until December 1963 when their farm was purchased by the government for Milford Lake. The creek with the family name still marks the home site on Hwy 77.

Emma was the last surviving Charter Member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. She was a member of 4-H and supported her children on all their projects. She was active in the Pleasant View Homemakers Club and a 60 yr. member of EHU.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Clifford Rush, five brothers Julius, Louis (Myrtle), John (Verna), Hermann, Bill (Helen) Schmedemann, three sisters, Mary (Honnas) Erickson, Lena (Gilbert) Blanken, Anna (Ed) Nelson, and three daughters Evelyn (Frank) Mayfield, Dolores (Dale) Collins, and Carol (Glenn) Taylor.

She is survived by one son Don (Linda) Rush of Junction City, her sister Florence; who is 102 (Leo)Moritz of Manhattan, and grandchildren Cheryl Collins (Gary Clift) of Manhattan, Jayne (Mike) Rudd of Wichita, Jeff Collins of Alma, Scott Collins of Colorado, Alan (Traci) Collins of Colorado, Tim (Jenny) Rush of Augusta and Jeff Rush of Junction City.

She is also survived by eleven great-grandchildren John Clift, Megan Storey, Andrew Storey, Steve Rudd, Courtney Rudd, Grant Rudd, Thomas Collins, Robyn Collins, Justin and Bailey Ritchey (Rush) and Rylee Rush and seven great-great grand children, Jayda Redelman, Megan and Chase Herbst, Erin Thompson, Chris, Matt and Jacob Rudd and one great-great-great grandchild Kaylee Herbst.