JACKSON "JACK" BUSH, JR.

Jackson Bush, Jr.  closed his eyes for the final time peacefully in his sleep at the age of 96 on November 20, 2020.

He was born on February 21, 1924, in Kansas City, Missouri.  He was the only child of the late Jackson Bush, Sr., and the late Ida (Biggers) Bush. 

Jack lived his entire life in Kansas City, Missouri.  He was educated in the public schools in Kansas City, Mo. and was a well-known educator and basketball coach in the Kansas City Public School District. He attended Wendel Phillips Elementary School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1942 where he competed in football, basketball, and track. Jack attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education in 1949. While a student at Lincoln University he was a member of the Blue Tigers football team and was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and later became a life member.  He furthered his education with a Master of Science degree in Health and Physical Education from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1951. Jack was honored and awarded his 70 year pen as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. on June 10, 2017. 

Jack met and married the love of his life, Marcheita V. Jefferson on August 3, 1947 in the home of her parents in Sedalia, Mo., surrounded by family and friends. To this union 5 children were born, Jack, Janice, Juanita, Lynne, and Nadine. He was a committed member of St. Louis Catholic Church where he was a lead usher for many years.

Before his retirement from coaching high school basketball in 2002, Jack was referred to by many in the Kansas City area as the “Dean of high school basketball”.  Jack immediately began his 52 years high school coaching and teaching career at Washington High School in Caruthersville, Mo. Three years later he made his coaching debut in the Kansas City area at R.T. Coles Vocational School.  He took over the program at Manual High School and spent over a decade there before moving to Central High School in 1968.  Jack was the head coach for the Central High Blue Eagles basketball team for 33 years and led the team to twelve final four appearances in the Missouri basketball tournament and won the 4A State title in 1979.  Over his career, Coach Bush’s teams won 799 games. 

He was a five-time winner of the Eddie Ryan Award for Best Coach; Jack was named the Interscholastic League Coach of the Year eleven times during his career and was selected Coach of the Year by the Kansas City Star in 1999. Jack received the Lifetime Achievement and Dedication to Coaching Profession Award and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. The Kansas City Public Schools Board of Directors named the basketball court at Central High School the “Jack Bush Court” with a logo indicting such that was added to the gymnasium floor and dedicated on December 11, 2017. 

Jack was also a member of The Enshriners.

He is survived by his wife Marcheita J. Bush of 73 years, 5 children, Jack (Jackie) of Kansas City, Mo., (Ollisha, Leslie, Jonathan, Jordan, Jaclyn), Janice (Robert) of Gainesville, Fl.,(Mark, Amber, Jason, Marchieta), Juanita (DeWayne) of Independence, Mo., (Kimberly, Kristen, Travis, Trenton), Lynne (James) of Kansas City, Mo., (Christopher, Anthony, Kenneth, Erica) and Nadine of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., (Louis, Adam, Stephen), 9 great-grandchildren, and a host neices, nephews, and  friends.

A Public Visitation will be held from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday, December 6th at Watkins Heritage Chapel 4000 Emanuel Cleaver Blvd KCMO 64130. 

A Private Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on December 7th at Watkins Heritage Chapel. Interment Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville, MO

Services will stream at: mstcsunset.com.

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