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Gertrude Bush-Burroughs, (Bootsie) 90, daughter of the late Gertrude D. and Ellis G. Bush is the oldest of seven sisters, two of whom have since deceased. For the past 46 years, has been married to the ove of her life John Lewis Burroughs. She joined Sims Chapel Elizabeth Nesmith Church in 1984 which was then pastored by Reverend James F. Hux. As a faithful servant to God, she involved herself in serving as steward, trustee, president of layman, treasurer of usher board, vice president, and past president of the Jessie B. Priest Missionary Society. Being educated in the Pittsburgh Public School System, her first job was working with her father as a caterer. Her mother was a home economics graduate from Benedict College in Columbia, SC., who was extremely helpful in home schooling me in the art of cooking at an early age. As a cook and caterer, Gertrude worked for the Pine Run County Club in Westmoreland County for over thirty-five years, until her retirement in 1983. After enjoying a short stint of retirement, Gertrude returned to work at Kennnywood Amusement Park as a cook for the park employees as well as for the public. Her catering business took her all over the Tri-State area of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Pinehurst, North Carolina, With her eagerness to give back some of what she had been given throughout the years through faith, prayer, and a forgiving God, I became the president of "West Mifflin Citizens for a Better Community" which aided in providing scholarships to youngsters seeking higher education and an outreach in helping some of the younger children in the community, Its been written that one thing that remains constant with Gertrude is to instill encouragement into our young people to be the very best that they can be, to look beyond what they can see and challenge those things that are considered to be desirable and wholesome to them. She is also quoted as saying "I tell them, don't get distracted by disappointment and failure because the doors of opportunity and success are usually based upon those two principals - and above all else, have faith in Jesus, hold on to Him no matter what happens, He will not fail you - He will help you find your way".

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Gertrude Bush Burroughs

August 16, 1923 - August 14, 2013