Daniel Lee Rushing

November 15, 1946 - October 30, 2019

Daniel Lee Rushing was born to John B. and Mary Anita (Harrison) Rushing on November 15, 1946. He spent his childhood on the family farm near Simpson and Robbs, Illinois. He attended grade school at Robbs Elementary School and McKee Grade School. Dan attended Vienna High School and graduated in 1964. He then attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale from 1964-1968 graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education. He married his life long friend and sweetheart Verna Mae (Kerley) Rushing on June 18, 1966. Dan started his teaching career at Meridian High School in the fall of 1968. He continued his teaching career at Shawneetown High School beginning in the fall of 1969. His oldest daughter, Chandra LeAn Rushing was born on February 8, 1969. He obtained his Master of Science Degree in Educational Administration and Foundations in June 1972. He served as Principal of the Shawneetown Grade School and later the Shawneetown High School from 1972 until 1979. His youngest daughter, Chelli Lyn Rushing, was born April 2, 1971. He began a new career path in August 1979 with Country Companies Insurance of the Illinois Farm Bureau. He served as an agent in Saline County from 1979 – 1990. He and his wife Verna opened the first satellite office of the Country Companies which was away from the local Farm Bureau office. They opened this office in Galatia, Illinois in 1981 and remained there until 1990, at which time Dan made a move into the management division in the Country Financial organization. Dan and Verna moved to Spokane, Washington in June 1990 and developed a new agency for the Country Companies. They remained there until October 1995 when they moved back to Illinois to assume the management of the Shawnee Agency, consisting of Massac, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Union, Pulaski, and Alexander counties. He remained in this position until his retirement in August 2012. This represented a career total of thirty three years. Dan, as he was affectionately known to his friends and family, never met a stranger and was always trying and willing to help others. He was a Christian and was proud to proclaim Jesus as his Savior. Dan loved children and God blessed him with two grandchildren, Christian Luke and Chaitlyn Leah Stanley, a step grandson – Ian Matthew Hardison, a step great-grandson – Vincent Matthew Hardison. He was an extremely proud “PaPa.” Dan opened a business in Paducah, Kentucky in September 2012 known as Stringworks, LLC. It was a repair and restoration facility for stringed instruments and tube amplifiers. Dan loved Freemasonry and was a member of the former Gurney Masonic Lodge # 778 and a current member of Eddyville Masonic Lodge # 672. He was an honorary member of several other local lodges in the Southern Illinois area. Dan’s love of his life was Verna and his family. Verna was his “rock” and was always his first concern. His family was his reason to live and work. He loved them all. Dan leaves behind his beloved wife – Verna Kerley Rushing; his daughters – Chandra Rushing and Chelli Rushing; grandchildren – Christian Luke Stanley and Chaitlyn Leah Stanley along with Chaitlyn’s fiancé Johnny Foos; step grandson – Ian Hardison and his son Vincent; a brother – Ronald (Helen) Rushing; a sister – Ellen (Bill) Broom; his father-in-law and mother-in-law – Rillis and Lillian Kerley; sister-in-law and brother-in-law – Velma “Shorty” and John Waters; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends and lodge brothers. Dan’s life motto and work ethic was “Every Day is a Holiday if you Love your Job and I love mine.” Thank God for life eternal. Masonic funeral rites will be accorded Saturday afternoon, November 2, 2019, at 1 PM at the Glendale United Methodist Church, 477 Illinois Route 145, Simpson, Illinois. Immediately following the masonic rites, the funeral service will be conducted. Pastor Jeff Rush will officiate. Burial will be in the Glendale Cemetery. Honored to serve as pallbearers and honorary pallbearers will be members of the masonic fraternity: Phil Valestin, Danny Rockwell, Grant Loudy, Christian Stanley (Dan’s grandson), Carl Brasher, John McCuan, Bob Futch, Jerry Jones and Chesley Williams. Visitation will be conducted Saturday, November 2, 2019, from 11 AM – 1 PM at the Glendale United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to Eddyville Masonic Lodge # 672, c/o Philip Valestin, 1001 State Highway 145 North, Simpson, Illinois 62985 or Vienna Masonic Lodge # 150, P.O. Box 856, Vienna, Illinois 62995.