Nancy Rush

Jacks Creek, TN: Nancy Pearl Emerson Rush passed away Wednesday night, September 18, 2025, at Charter Memory Care in Jackson.

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, August 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 Toby visited all their former exchange students in 1997, traveling in thirteen countries. She and G. W. had traveled in forty-nine of the fifty states.

She was a member of Christ Community Church and attended Antoich 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 Harris and husband Tony of Deanburg, eight grandchildren: Terry Connor (Kaye), Toby Connor (Cammy), Ty Connor (Rachel), Jason Essary (Alaina), Justin Essary, Todd Clayton, Kari Perry (Jamie), and Chad Harris (Tracy), seventeen great grandchildren, ten great-great grandchildren, and a host of foster children and foreign exchange students.

In addition to her parents, she was pre-deceased by two sisters: Martha Ann Thomas and Georgia Faye Scarbrough and three brothers: Harold Thomas, Lewis Thomas, and Jackie Thomas, and two son-in-laws, Bobby Connor and Ricky Essary.

Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Sunday, September 21st at Shackelford Funeral Directors - Crook Avenue Chapel with Pastor Mike Rickenbaker officiating. Burial will follow at Chester County Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 11:00 AM Sunday.

Memorial may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Shackelford Funeral Directors

731-989-2421