Philip Lynn Bush of Choate, Texas, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 15, 2026, after a brief illness.  He was 81 years old.

Philip was born on November 4, 1945, in Gonzales, Texas, to Philip Lester and Carlena Brzozoski Bush.  He graduated from Pettus High School and went on to attend Texas A&I University in Kingsville and Southwest Texas Junior College.  From 1965 to 1971, he served in the Army National Guard.  On July 21, 1967, he married Cheryl Walker of Choate, and together they built a life centered on family, faith, and hard work.  This coming July, they would have celebrated 60 years of marriage.  They were blessed with two children, Sherri Lynn and Philip Lane, and a family that grew to include four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who brought him tremendous joy.

Philip worked a variety of jobs early in his career, including as a roustabout for Southland Offshore Drilling and as a lineman for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company.  He then spent 35 years with DuPont, where he began as a mechanic and welder and later moved into Instrumentation & Electronics and Contract Management.  After retiring from DuPont, he worked as an oilfield gauger before devoting his time to ranching.

Philip was an active member of Choate Baptist Church, where he shared his faith and served in a variety of offices and on many committees.  Beginning in 2003, he also served on the board of the Hondo Creek Watershed Improvement District.  His love of baseball started long before he had children.  He played in college, coached teenage baseball, and later coached his son Phil’s Little League team.  He and Cheryl logged countless miles to Floresville and New Braunfels to cheer on their grandchildren at their sporting events, and he especially enjoyed helping Sherri and Phil with their show animals, including lambs, chickens, and steers.  Philip enjoyed the ballfield, working cattle, hunting, fishing, and water skiing, but no matter what else was going on, he always had time for his family.

Philip was preceded in death by his parents.  He is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl; his sister, Leslie Allison and husband Jim; his daughter, Sherri Bays and husband Tim; and his son, Philip Bush and wife Michele.  He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Ryan Vasquez and wife Cassedy, Logan Bush and wife Bethany, Hayden Bush and wife Caitlen, and Shelbi Porter and husband Lee, along with eight great-grandchildren: Jace, Codi, Lyndon, Colin, Kaci, Rylee, Benjamin, and Hudson.

Visitation will be held Tuesday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Eckols Funeral Home in Kenedy.  Funeral services will follow on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Eckols Funeral Home, with Rev. Terry Davis officiating.  Burial will be at Choate Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be Logan Bush, Hayden Bush, Ryan Vasquez, Jace Vasquez, Lee Porter, and nephews Bill Harkins, Heath Harkins, and Shawn Parks.

Memorial donations may be made to the Choate Cemetery Trust in his honor.