Life Sketch of Galen Shawn Bush
--- By Brian V. Bush
On January 19th 1967 Galen Shawn Bush was born into our family. He was the eighth child of William Frank and Shirley Bush. His older siblings were Linda, Scott, Bill, Shannon, Melodee, Shane, and myself, Brian. Two years later a younger sister, Gina Michelle, died at birth. (We can only imagine that the first thing after Galen and Dad’s reunion was Dad’s excitement to introduce him to our little sister).
We had one of the most loving mothers in the world and one of the most caring, hard-working fathers in the world. Our family never had a lot of earthly wealth, but we did have a lot of love and unity, which is something that we probably didn’t appreciate until we all had families of our own. Our father had an infectious smile and sense of humor. Galen, out of all of us probably reflected that the most. No matter what the situation, no matter where you were, Galen would have you laughing.
We are the first to admit, we were far from perfect. Being the youngest, Galen was born into a family where if we weren’t playing and laughing, we were fighting. I think out of self-defense, he had a fiery temper. He learned when he was little how to hold his own with all of us older brothers and sisters. One story I have to tell was of a fight between Shane and Galen. After a lot of screaming downstairs, they appeared at the top of the stairs. Shane stopped and pointed a finger at Galen saying “don’t you dare”. Galen was standing with a metal-tipped dart in one hand. Just as Shane relaxed a little bit, thinking he had it under control, Galen let it fly… it embedded in Shane’s leg and hung there. Shane looked at the dart, then looked at Galen, and calmly said “You are gonna die” and then I watched Galen sprint for the safety of the bathroom with Shane hot on his heals!
When we were young, Dad decided it was time to take the entire family to Disneyland. He needed a new car for the trip. He went to town and drove home with a new station wagon. Dad told mom he had two cars to choose from. One that cost $50.00 and one that cost $55.00. Because we were going all the way to California he decided to buy the $55.00 car. (The car had a reverse sun roof. Instead of looking up through the roof, you could lift up the floor mat and look through the rusted out hole and watch the road go by) So they hooked up the camp trailer, loaded all 8 of us kids, and off to California we went. Somewhere in the Nevada desert we found out that the muffler was sitting right against the floorboard. The floor board heated up so much that the carpet and insulation under the back seat started smoldering. So dad pulled the seat up and had us pour water on it all the rest of the way across the desert to prevent it from starting on fire…… On the trip home, dad drove all night across the desert. All six of the older siblings were put in the camp trailer and Galen and I were asleep in the very back of the wagon. They had the rear window cracked for air and the next morning Galen and myself woke up screaming at the tops of our lungs. The exhaust had leaked into the car all through the night and we were nearly asphyxiated. Galen and I have talked over the years about that night. We both could always remember the headaches we had because of it….. The funny thing is, we never could really remember anything about Disneyland. – But that was probably the exhaust. After arriving home, and pulling in the driveway, the car never started again. Evidence that our Heavenly Father was watching over us.
Our greatest memories were of our trips as a family to Redfish Lake. Galen went there the first year he was born and only missed a handful of summers since. We loved camping as a family. I’m sure the memories of taking 8 kids camping in a tent for a week aren’t as endearing to Mom, but she realized the blessing it was to our family. Galen, like the rest of us, cherished those good times and as he married and had kids of his own, he also continued taking his boys and sharing those memories with the next generation. We all swam, hiked, roasted s’mores and learned to water ski at Redfish. During one trip Galen was helping Lisa try to get up on water ski’s, when Taylor, then very young, leaned over the side of the boat and told Lisa,
“Now Mom, Remember 3 things…Be strong, Be brave, and Don’t cry”
–For years afterwards that was the family motto… and we might just have to bring it back.
But by far, our favorite part of our family reunions at Redfish has been the campfires. It is there that Galen introduced us to the most hilarious rendition of the Irish River Dance ever performed. We were never sure which would come first….us collapsing from laughter, or Galen collapsing from exhaustion! I am sure however, that in the very near future, there will be a group of angels somewhere in heaven, dying of laughter from Galen’s equally hilarious rendition of the Church Lady.
Another family tradition that means so much to all of us is the annual Bayhorse lake “Guys” trip. Dad had taken us as small children to Bayhorse and we started up a tradition of taking all the brothers, sons, nephews, uncles, and friends up for a weekend of “male-bonding” every summer. In talking to Taylor, Caden and Andrew, Bayhorse is one of the fondest memories for them also. It was a chance as fathers and sons to share each other’s company and vent some steam with fishing, four-wheeling, and shooting. The highlight was their Uncle Brooks’ gourmet dutch-oven dinners. We actually let less-important activities take precedent for the last couple of summers, but I guarantee that that won’t continue. However, when we return, we are fully aware that no one will be able to fill Galen’s shoes when it comes to having fun around a campfire.
Galen, like the rest of us, grew up in our home on Telford road. Galen lived in the greatest area a young boy could hope for. He had plenty of fields to roam, minnows to trap and pigeons to catch. He also ran pretty wild with his bb gun. Also, many summer days were spent attaching one end of a rope to a bridge and the other end to a sheet of plywood and “surfing” the Idaho canal. We were fortunate enough to have great neighbors and friends next door. We have talked about the fact that we never even knew if there was a key for our front door. It was just that kind of a neighborhood and time.
Galen grew up with great friends nearby, whether with the Smith boys, Brent Johnson, Danny Hunting, or numerous other kids, Galen always seemed to be having fun.
When we were young we also ran a lot with our cousins the Packs. We all have fond memories of watching the rodeo after someone got stuck with the last pick of horses and had to ride “rocket”, or how we would help pitch in on the milking so we could get to the Stake Dance on time. We had some wild times….and there are still a few stories that are only whispered and not spoken aloud!
Our Dad believed in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. We grew up spending most Saturdays and a good part of the summer cutting and hauling firewood. Although very young, Galen was expected to join in. Being the youngest, many times our job was to stack the wood in the pickup. Galen and I would feverishly stack as the older, teenage siblings carelessly threw firewood in our direction. Dad taught us the value of work. He was always involved in some sort of hard labor or another. The only time he would take a break from work was to spend time with his kids or occasionally spend a few minutes with a fishing rod (which also usually ended up involving one of us). Galen learned from that example. Galen was not afraid, nor a stranger to hard work. Like our father, he worked tirelessly his entire life to put food on the table, always having his family in mind. Like our dad, Galen learned to fix anything and only called someone to help when absolutely necessary.
He worked at AMX technologies, and most recently as a realtor for Keller-Williams. Where his likeability, sense of humor and people skills proved to be of great worth. He loved working with people.
Even while teaching his boys the value of work, he kept his sense of humor. One time after asking the boys to clean up after the dog and getting no results, he took a shovel, cleaned up the yard and taped it up in a box and excitedly announced to the boys that UPS had left them a package for them on the front porch!
The Bush family was always partial to anything with a motor. Galen was no exception. When he got his first mini bike, we showed him how to give it the gas, and we sent him on his way. About the time he hit full throttle we realized maybe someone should have explained speed control and let him know how to use the brakes. After going full-tilt two or three times around the front yard he came in contact with the birch tree in front of the house and went sprawling. If anything it just made him tougher, because after that, whether it be a motorbike, snowmobile, or his old Chevy pickup, he loved to go at it full throttle! Your usual view of Galen was his tail lights.
On January 7, 1976 we lost our father to a heart attack. Galen was just 8 years old. Mom still had 6 kids at home, Galen being the youngest. In a 1988 Church news article Galen’s Mom wrote about Galen’s attitude towards our Dad’s passing away. Mom wrote:
“My husband, Bill, died of a heart attack suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving me with six of eight children at home. The night after the funeral, we talked about our situation. Our youngest child, Galen then 8, said, "Well, I'm kind of proud Dad died." I asked him to explain. He said, "I think if Heavenly Father wanted Dad this bad, we should be proud of it." We picked up this attitude, and our mood of grief lightened, strengthening us for a happy life. “
That attitude that Galen shared, helped us all have a more positive outlook on the loss of Dad. We all missed him very much and it was a difficult time for a while. But we grew closer together as a family as we came to realize then, as we do now with the passing of Galen, that the separation is only temporary. We also learned that when we lose our Earthly Father, Our Heavenly Father increases his watch over us!
We strengthened each other and received such support and love from friends and neighbors. I have always appreciated the fact that our neighbor Ron Smith always made sure that Galen and I were at every father/son outing and were never left out. Our neighbor Dean Hunting was constantly checking in on us and making sure Mom had any help she needed. Every time it snowed, Danny would be there with a tractor keeping us cleaned out.
One incident that had a lasting impression on Galen as well as myself was a pinewood derby contest held shortly after Dad died. Knowing Galen had no father at home, a kind ward member by the name of Dale Mickelsen, came and got Galen and took the time to help him build one of the coolest Pinewood derby cars I had ever seen. I vividly remember Galen coming home proudly showing me that car. To top it all off, they needed exhaust pipes for the car, so Dale took him out shooting with a .22 and they used the spent casings for exhaust pipes. I don’t think Bro Mickelsen ever realized the impact that that act of kindness had on both of us.
One other thing that helped us tremendously as a family after Dad died was our regular Sunday dinners at the house of our cousins the Packs. What a great help for getting us through the loss of our father.
These are such great examples for all of us here today. As aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors, we have the opportunity to rally around a family and truly put the gospel of Jesus Christ in action. I will forever be grateful for those who showed us those acts of kindness.
Galen had a tremendous singing voice and was gifted as a drummer. When he was little he would crawl inside the dryer and drum on the inside, because of the good acoustics. He used his talents as a member of several bands throughout the years.
He had his fair share of fun throughout high school. Mom did however pull out a few hairs because of him. He graduated from Bonneville High School in 1985. Because he was the youngest, he always had a special relationship with Mom. After I left for my mission it was just the two of them, and they had a strong bond that continued to this day.
After Galen graduated from High School he was struggling with the decision of whether to go on a mission or not. Mom had moved into Idaho Falls and was a member of the 21st ward, when Galen was called in for an interview with his new Bishop, Bishop Treasure. He told me later that that interview changed his course. He said that the Bishop was so encouraging and gave him such a good feeling about himself that he made the decision to go... Galen went on to accept a mission call speaking Cantonese in the Toronto Canada mission. He served an honorable two years. I can testify, that for him, as with so many others, it was a life defining decision. Upon returning, he still had his sense of humor as he stated “That was the best two years of my life…too bad I had to spend it on a mission” he then gave that famous Galen grin!
After serving his mission he returned home and then spent a summer as a supervisor at a pineapple picking plantation in Hawaii. In the fall he started school at Ricks College. While walking to class one day, Galen saw Lisa West walking across the campus. He told a friend “I’m gonna marry that girl.” He took a long time to get up the nerve to ask her out, he said he didn’t know if such a beautiful girl would go out with him. When he finally did gain the courage to ask her, she replied “What took you so long?”
They started dating and fell in love. Lisa said Galen made her feel like a princess. While they were dating, Lisa’s mother came to Rick’s College during Mother’s Week. She told me of an experience that made her realize what a spiritual young man Galen was. With her permission I would like to relate what she told me:
While visiting that week Sister West (Lisa’s Mom) went to the Idaho Falls temple with a friend. Just as she was nearing the end of the temple session she was overcome with the Spirit so strong it was almost overwhelming. Her friend noticed something was happening and asked her if she was alright. She just said that the work she was doing, must have been very important, because she could feel the Spirit so strong. They finished the session and went back to Rexburg. After arriving back at the friend’s house Galen and Lisa showed up. Galen went in to Sister West and asked for her permission to marry her daughter. When she asked Galen when he had made the decision to ask her, he said that they had been outside the Idaho Falls temple earlier in the evening, when the Spirit prompted him that Lisa should be his wife. When Sister West asked what time that happened, Galen said about 8:00 pm….the same time that Sister West had felt the spirit so strong inside the temple. She said she knew then, that that was the Spirit telling her that this was the right boy for her daughter.
Galen and Lisa were married Aug. 18, 1989 in the Washington D.C. temple. Galen then went on to share that famous sense of humor with the West family. The West family recently started the “Lose your Big Keister by Easter” weight loss contest. I would like to share Galen’s blog from last week:
“Well, well, well…if it ain’t the humiliate the fat guy crowd again, coming for another poke with your sharp fatty stick in my lard lined belly! OK, I admit it, I’m fat. Me and Coke have been meeting behind the convenience store for a private guzzle once in a while…ok, twice a day. So I’m the heaviest weight ever. Why, you ask? Because I’m weak...lazy…and I was severely beaten as a child, and I eat refined white sugar straight from the 5 lb bag that’s stuffed under my car seat. That doesn’t mean that I am a bad person. There’s a beautiful new me waiting to get out. Waiting to peel off the 25 lbs of yak fat systematically stored as a 2 inch layer all over my body, wrapped in a pasty white skin…..”
No matter what the situation, Galen had that knack to make you smile.
The holidays didn’t officially start for the Bush Family until Galen led the family in a rousing session of Santa Clause bingo! …. He proved the reality of the saying… “Laugh until it hurts”!!
Galen and Lisa finished up school at Ricks and then lived in Rigby and Idaho falls. They went on to be blessed with 4 beautiful sons, Taylor, Caden, Andrew, and Cole. Like his father before him, his family was his #1 priority. Galen adored his boys.
When Taylor was born, Galen’s step father Milt observed Galen giving Taylor his first bath at the hospital. Milt commented, of what a touching moment it was to watch Galen tenderly and carefully wash his new son. In preparing these remarks for today, many people told me of their observation of how tender Galen’s love was for each of his boys. He cared for them and raised them with the true love of a father (although Lisa said he never was very happy about diapers).
Whether it be at Redfish Lake, Bayhorse, or just playing in the yard, Galen loved being with his boys. He wanted them to be men of character and worth. When I asked Caden to tell me about a memory that stood out about his Dad, He said “Gathering Fast Offerings” He said that although his dad had to drag him out at times, Galen would explain the blessings that come from priesthood service, and Caden was thankful for that example.
Galen shared his love of the gospel with his boys and those around him. Upon hearing of Galen’s passing this week, Elder Thomas Owens who is serving a full-time mission wrote: “Brother Bush gave me an example that I can never forget. I wanted to be a missionary because of the words of advice that he gave me. He strengthened my testimony in this gospel and gave me the courage to leave. Once again one of the many amazing examples for the reason I’m here in Guatemala”
Galen’s boys knew they could trust him. Taylor shared an experience with me this week that happened while on their last trip to Bayhorse Lake. They were traveling down a very steep dangerous hill on the four wheeler when Taylor expressed his concern of the situation. he said his dad told him “Taylor, I will not let his four wheeler crash” Taylor commented:” It warmed me to hear my Dad say this, because I knew he was 100% correct”
Later in the tent they talked about how dangerous the situation was that they had been in. Galen told Taylor “When I die, you guys had better win the lottery or something, 'cause I’m not worth a whole lot when I’m gone.”
Taylor wrote: “Even the poorest father can leave the richest inheritance” – I love you Dad”
Galen like his father before him left an inheritance, of love of life and of family.
A couple of months ago, I met Galen for lunch. We hadn’t caught up with each other in a very long time. Our lunch hour, turned into two as we talked about work, life and for most of the time, our children. As Galen talked about his boys, he expressed how he wished he could communicate his love to them. Like so many of us as fathers and sons, we have a hard time being able to express that love for each other. But as I talked with Galen then, and having been with his boys this week, I want Taylor, Caden, Andrew, and Cole to know that your father loves each and every one of you very much, and I testify to you, that he knows that you each love him too.
As someone who has gone through the very thing that you are going through right now. I want you to know, that you’ll get through this. It isn’t easy…and you’ll shed a few more tears along the way…. but you will get to the point where you can remember your father with a smile on your face.… and not be sad about the time you won’t have together, but be happy about the time that you did have together. Accept the support and help of others, and look also to each other for that love and support. You will grow closer as a family and will feel your Dad’s spirit in each other.
I’m sure that Galen’s boys will echo the sentiments of GaIen that he wrote in an autobiography in college:
“I often felt cheated out of having my dad. But I understand now, because of the attitude and experiences I learned from him about life and family. He was more of what a Dad should be in those few short years, than most people experience in a lifetime.”
To Lisa, the boys, family and friends…I testify that this is but a temporary separation, and although at times we cannot understand the reasons for our trials, our Heavenly Father is watching over us and never sends us a trial without increasing his love and support for us.
Galen we’ll miss you, but keep the River Dance Ready!
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