Jacob Rush Obituary

Jake Rush, 84, passed away on February 8, 2007 at Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs. Jake was born on 10 July 1922 in Leutesdorf, Germany, to Carl and Louisa Rusch. His family came to the United States in 1924 and settled in Darien, Wisconsin, where he graduated from High School in 1940 and became an apprentice machinist at Fairbanks & Morse in Beloit, Wisconsin. He married Mary Louise Dugan in 1941. She died in 1942. Jake enlisted in the Army Air Corps in November 1942. He was a B-17 gunner with the 8th Air Force, 381st Bomb Group, and 534th Bomb Squadron at Ridgewell Field, England. In May 1944, on his tenth mission, his plane was shot down over Berlin. He was captured and sent to Stalag Luft IV where he remained a Prisoner of War until February 1945. Jake left the camp with 10,000 other prisoners to spend three months on the 600-mile "Black Hunger Death March". He was liberated by British paratroops on 5 May 1945. Jake married Margaret (Marge) McCormick in1946. They moved to Colorado Springs in 1961. C/MSgt Rush was in charge of Maintenance Engineering Production Analysis at Air Defense HQ and retired after 24 years service in 1966. Jake was a life member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War, and served as Rocky Mountain Chapter Commander, Adjutant and Newsletter Editor and was a Director of the Department of Colorado AX-POW's. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3917 and a Charter Life Member of Chapter 1 of The Retired Enlisted Association. In 2002, his wife of 56 years, Marge, preceded him in death. Jake is survived by his companion, Genevieve (Jean) Modecki of Colorado Springs; daughter, Louisa (Larry) Huyge; three grandchildren, Donna (Paul) Ludwinski, Dawn (Richard) Opsal, David (Tina) Huyge; nine great grandchildren; nephew Rick (Geralyn) Goodman of Colorado Springs; other nieces and nephews; one cousin; and numerous good friends. The family will receive visitors after 5:00 pm February 16, at Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 E. Fountain Blvd. A rosary will follow at 7:00 pm. The Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am, February 17 at Shrine of Remembrance Chapel. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of AX-POW's. Private internment will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Mr. Rush's family wishes to extend their gratitude to the wonderful staff of the Pikes Peak Hospice for the loving care they gave to Jake during his last month of life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jake's name to the Pikes Peak Hospice, 825 E Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs 80903, or to the American Ex-Prisoners of War, National HQ, 33201 E. Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40, Arlington, TX 76010.