Obituary of Ivor Rush

Ivor Rush

March 23, 1933-October 26, 2018

 “The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

                             -Omar Khayyam

Ivor Rush born March 23, 1933 in Belfast N. Ireland died quietly in his sleep in Chatham Ontario Oct 26, 2018 of a broken heart. 

Ivor is predeceased eleven weeks to the day by his soul mate and the love of his life Margaret Violet Rush (August 10, 2018) with whom he recently celebrated 62 yrs of marriage. A proud moment was receiving a 60th anniversary congratulatory letter from her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Ivor is also predeceased by his father William Rush (1967) one of 10 siblings, his mother Eva Mcilroy (dolly) (1999) both of Belfast N. Ireland and his sister-in-law Kelly Beattie of Port Dover (2015).

He will be sorely missed by his children Sharon (Glenn), Tracy (Doug), and Brad (Cassandra), and grandchildren Cooper and Rachel and extended family and friends in Chatham, Port Dover, Northern Ireland, S. Africa, New Zealand, Maryland, and California.

As a young man in N. Ireland Ivor travelled to Europe on several occasions falling in love with the City of Lights where he would return with his bride on more than one occasion. He ran with the Harriers of N. Ireland and was a life long member of the Harriers Club of Belfast N. Ireland recently attending a Harrier reunion.  He sang in the boys’ choir in St Pauls Cathedral.  As a young man he developed a love for painting watercolors and sketching, which he returned to later in life until arthritis forced him to put away his brushes and charcoals.

He and Violet emigrated from N. Ireland in 1956 to Canada on the Neptunia, one week after their wedding. He lived and worked in Toronto for a few years before taking up residence in Chatham with his wife and daughter Sharon as he saw the small community as a good place to raise a family. There a daughter Tracy and a son Brad would follow.

In Chatham, Ivor worked for Pilot Insurance and would eventually branch out on his own to form Ivor Rush and Company Insurance Adjusters at one point having the title of City Adjuster for Chatham.

In his younger years there was boating, hunting, fishing, golf and canoe trips to Algonquin park , holidays in the Caribbean and South Pacific, and road trips to Myrtle Beach with Violet and their friends. Ivor was a past president of the Kinsmen Club of Chatham, a member of the Kent Club, and a member of Maple City Golf and Country Club. Ivor and Violet shared a love for gardening but Ivor was most at home in the kitchen. He had a passion for cooking. His apple pies, and potato scones were legendary among family and friends fortunate enough to share…and share he did…Ivor loved his family, his friends and his neighbours and could often be found baking a casserole or chicken pot pie for someone sick, in need, or just hungry. 

He was a lover of words well spoken, which drew him to poetry, especially Dylan Thomas, and Omar Khayyam, of hand tied bowties, Manchester United, and the daily crossword from the National Post. He was the consummate storyteller, loved to recite quotes and was regarded by at least one of his friends as the “smartest person I know”.  He adored his friends and had many over the years, including lifelong friends from his childhood in N. Ireland.

He was happy with his life and never complained about his hardships whether physical or more recently emotional after losing the love of his life.  He always put on a stoic front, never wanting to bother anyone and never complaining unless you didn’t put enough sugar in his tea. He had the gentle noblesse of a bygone era that will be forever missed, yes that and his stories, ahh yes….the stories.

Cremation is taking place. Private internment of ashes with his beloved Violet to be arranged at a later date.

A memorial service to be held at Christ Church Anglican Chatham, On., 80 Wellington St West Friday, November 16th at 2:00pm.

An irish Wake for Ivor to take place at Southside Tap and Grille on Saturday November 17th 1-3pm.

“I slainte mhaith”.

“I am off and away like a flash of light,

as swift as a shooting star,

on my way to a distant prize,

Hurrah hurrah hurrah” 

-Ivor Rush

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May your glass be ever full.

May the roof over your head be always strong.

And may you be in heaven

half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.