Nellie Bushman

Nellie Dalton Bushman, 85, of Joseph City, Arizona, passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2015, at the Carriage House in Snowflake, Arizona. The funeral service will begin 11:00 A.M., Saturday, June 13, 2015, at the Joseph City Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Westover Avenue in Joseph City, where the visitation will begin at 9:30 A.M. Nellie was born on August 2, 1929, to Rowena Flake and John Luther Dalton, Jr., in Aripine, Arizona. She enjoyed time, as a young girl, on her grandfather's ranch in Aripine. She graduated from Thatcher High School and then attended Gila College (now Eastern Arizona College) on scholarship for a year. She married Virgil A. Bushman on May 27, 1948, in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following their marriage, she came to Joseph City with Virgil. Here, they operated the family dairy farm and raised seven children: Virgil (Karilyn), Ivan (Carroll), Virnell Wright (Peter-deceased), Evelyn Walker (Russell), Allen (Terri), Ralph (Janet) and Kent (Robin). She spent her life serving others. She held numerous callings in the Primary and Relief Society organizations of The Church. She also served in the Scouting organization alongside her husband, who was serving as Scoutmaster when they married and continued to do so for the next 45, or so, years. Not only did she serve in official callings in Scouting, such as Blazer leader, but she did an excellent job of keeping the Scouting records in order. Even though Virgil was the Scoutmaster, Nellie was the driving force behind him and her 5 sons earning the Eagle Award. Nellie and Virgil served two missions for the LDS church. It was during the second mission that Virgil received the "final transfer" and passed on. That did not stop her, as she served another mission in South Carolina. She then spent 11 years doing what she truly loved; serving in the Snowflake Temple. Along with her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son-in-law; one brother; two sisters; one grandson and by one great-granddaughter. Survivors include: 2 brothers; 4 sisters; her seven children; 38 grandchildren and 94 great-grandchildren.