Nancy Pearl Emerson Rush, of Jacks Creek, passed away Wednesday night, Sept. 18, 2025, at Charter Memory Care in Jackson.
Funeral services were 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Shackelford Funeral Directors - Crook Avenue Chapel with Pastor Mike Rickenbaker officiating. Burial followed at Chester County Memory Gardens. The family received friends at the funeral home beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday.
She was born in Henderson, the daughter of the late George Neal Emerson and Ninnie Flois Smith Emerson Thomas. She attended schools in Chester County. She married G. W. “Dub” Rush, Aug. 26, 1950. They raised their family at Sanford Hill and on Simmons Street before moving to Jacks Creek in 2016. She worked at several factories and served as head teller at Chester County Bank. She and G.W. opened and co-owned C&R Grocery with Bobby and Debra Connor beginning in 1974.
They had foster children in their home for several years and then became a host family for foreign exchange students. She and G.W. and Ty visited all their former exchange students in 1997, traveling in 13 countries. She and G. W. had traveled in 49 of the 50 states.
She was a member of Christ Community Church and attended Antioch Baptist Church with her husband. She had a passion for caring for people, not only for her parents and grandparents but also her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by three daughters, Debra Connor and Linda Essary, both of Jacks Creek, and Kimba (Tony) Harris of Deanburg; eight grandchildren, Terry (Kaye) Connor, Toby (Cammy) Connor, Ty (Rachel) Connor, Jason (Alaina) Essary, Justin Essary, Todd Clayton, Kari (Jamie) Perry and Chad (Tracy) Harris; 17 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; and a host of foster children and foreign exchange students.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Martha Ann Thomas and Georgia Faye Scarbrough; three brothers, Harold Thomas, Lewis Thomas and Jackie Thomas; and two sons-in-law, Bobby Connor and Jimmy Essary.
