Vanita Rush

Vanita Vivian Rush, 83, of North Richland Hills, Texas passed away peacefully in her home on June 3rd following a stroke. The family was present all week and rejoices that she is now with Christ. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Vanita's 6 year old great-granddaughter's fund to help her fight lymphoma. The link follows: https://www.gofundme.com/leightonkickslymphomasbutt. Visitation will be Thursday evening from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home located at 5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas 76034. Memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. at her church home for over 50 years, her beloved Hills Church of Christ, located at 6300 NE Loop 820, North Richland Hills, Texas 76180. Beautiful Vanita was born on July 22, 1933 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Johnnie Cecil and Ruthie Obera Tate. In her early teens, she fell in love with an Iowa Park farm boy whom she married in 1952. She helped Gerald Wayne Cope, Sr. through medical school and had two boys, Gerald Wayne Cope, Jr. and Johnnie Joe Cope, before the marriage ended despite relentless dedication to her childhood love. To her surprise, she eventually fell in love again and married the late Kenneth Miller Rush on November 24, 1972, becoming mother to his three beautiful girls, Cherri Dee Hawthorne, Terri Lee de la Rosa, and Helen Rush. Throughout the last half-century of her life, Vanita served the Lord through the Hills Church of Christ. She taught 2 year olds, organized the teacher workroom, and reached out to the less fortunate at the Joe Louis Addition. She is legendary for her meticulous preparation of incomparable pecan pies, coffee cakes, and other treats for family, friends, shut-ins, and countless others. Above all, however, Vanita Rush is remembered for her selfless service, grace, and love of Jesus Christ. Survivors: Sons, Jerry (Norika) Cope and John J. (Beth) Cope; step-daughters, Cherri (Wade) Hawthorne, Terri (Buddy) de la Rosa, and Helen Rush; brother Johnnie Doyle (Dolores) Tate, sister Rita (J.B.) Brackney, and chosen sister Nelda (James) Kelsoe; grandchildren, Noelle Cope, Christopher Chase Cope, John Cameron (Anne) Cope, Tanner Cope, Cassidy (Duncan and future baby) Cope, Amy Plume Younger, Matt (Calais) Plume, Angela Housman, Clayton Hawthorne, Angela Hawthorne, Amanda de la Rosa , Robert (Sabrina) de la Rosa, Amber de la Rosa, Jennifer de la Rosa, Joshua (Lyndsey) Plumlee and Nikki (Matt) Birk; great-grandchildren, Chloe Plume, Jacob Plume, Britten Plume, Zachary Housman, Casey Housman, Haley Housman, Leighton Eberle, Damion Velasquez, Keira Velasquez, Mallorie de la Rosa, and Robert Kenneth de la Rosa, Jr.; an abundance of beloved nieces and nephews; and her dear friends in her Care Group, Bible study group, and Jenni’s Girls.