Corbin Lavern Bushong Sr., 80

Services for Corbin Lavern Bushong Sr., 80, of Lee’s Summit, will be held at 11 a.m. today, Dec. 8, 2021, at Blue Springs Christian Church, 7920 State Highway 7 in Blue Springs. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until service time at the church. 

Also, a graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Smith Chapel Cemetery near Zanoni.

Mr. Bushong died Dec. 1 at his home after an extremely difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. 

He was born April 29, 1941, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the son of Quinton E. and Noma Pitchford Bushong, and was raised by his grandparents, Corbett and Lida Quick Bushong, on the Bushong homestead in Ozark County. He attended the one-room Bushong School located on the family farm until he moved to California, where he graduated from Van Nuys High School. 

Later, he moved to Las Vegas to work with the Central Telephone Company. Over the next 39 1/2 years he moved into management and traveled around the world. 

Mr. Bushong was a kind man with deep spiritual beliefs focused on his devotion and love for Jesus Christ. He worked to follow Jesus’ command “to look after orphans and widows” and was very involved with prison ministry. He also taught a pre-marriage class, “How to Save a Marriage Before It Starts,” to help couples respect and love each other and put God first in their marriage. 

He was on the board of Hero Makers (Helping Everyone Remember Orphans) and Kairos prison ministry, which presents an intense program to those incarcerated to learn about Jesus and, it’s hoped, become believers. He was also on the board of Choose Life. 

He is survived by his four children: Corbin Lavern Jr., Betty LaBell Bagley, John Corwin and Rick Joseph; Sandra, his wife of 56 years; two brothers, James Bushong and wife Linda, and Mike Bushong and wife Chris; eight grandchildren, Sherri Miller, Gregory Bushong, Dillion Bushong, Timothy Bushong, Christina Hill Messina, Jami Pitti, Josiah Bushong, Jessica Bushong; many great-grandchildren; and Ozark County cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by two siblings, Leroy Elmo Bushong and Nina Sue Mack; and his parents, Quinton E. Bushong, and Noma Bushong Pendleton. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Kairos Prison Ministries or to Hero Makers and may be sent in care of Speaks Chapel funeral home, P.O. Box 259, Independence, MO 64055. Online condolences may be expressed at speakschapel.com.

Arrangements by Speaks Chapel, Independence.