Rush Workman, 95, an officer and a gentleman in the U.S. Navy, passed away quietly in his Prosperity, SC home on June 5, 2015. He was a long-time resident of Westport, MA, where he and his wife Shirley raised their four children. He was also a recent resident of Dartmouth, and had moved to Prosperity in January 2015 to live with his son during the winter months. While in Prosperity he was known by the many people he encountered as “Mr. Wonderful.”
He was raised in Louisa, KY, by Jacob and Emily Workman. Born in 1920, he had eight brothers and one sister. Mr. Workman was the second youngest and the last living member of the family. His father was a lock master on the Livisa and Tug Rivers in Eastern Kentucky. The family also were farmers.
After graduation from Fort Gay High School, in Fort Gay, WV, just across the river from Louisa, KY, Mr. Workman attended Marshall University in Huntington, WV, until he enlisted in the US Naval Air Corp in 1941. Always having the desire to study aeronautics, he became a bomber pilot flying PBY wing-over twin engines looking for enemy submarines. His route took him from Brunswick, ME down the east coast as far south as the coast of Brazil with frequent refueling stops along the way. He was extremely proud of his service and loved to tell stories about it.
After his discharge from the Navy he returned to West Virginia ultimately moving his family to Westport, MA where he was a sales representative for General Foods Corporation for many years. His favorite General Foods product was JELLO. While living in Westport he was active with First Baptist Church in Fall River where he was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher. Of his many civic activities his proudest was in Westport where he helped found the LIONS Club and became the first president in the late 60’s, serving until the early 70’s.
After leaving GF he moved to Barrington, RI where he became an account executive for TV channel 12. A long-time resident of Barrington Rush, was also active in the Rhode Island Advertising Club where he served as president. He retired from WPRI-TV Channel 12 in Providence, RI.
Soon after retiring he and his wife, Shirley, moved to Jupiter, FL where he could play more golf. After many years of living there he returned to Dartmouth to be near family.
He is survived by his son, Rush, by three daughters, Pam Ahlander, Lindsey MacCuaig, and Brooke McGuigan. Also by daughter-in-law, Mary Workman, sons-in-law Thorston Ahlander, Rod MacCuaig, and Frank McGuigan. He has five grandchildren, Jake McGuigan, Brooke Jenkins, Thor Ahlander, Rachael Workman, and Morgan MacCuaig. He has a great granddaughter Haley Jenkins. He is predeceased by his wife Shirley.
A Funeral Service will be held Friday, June 12, 2015 at Potter Funeral Home at 12:00 PM. Visitation will be from 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. prior to the service. Interment will be in Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA at 1:30 PM.
In lieu of flowers the family is asking that donations be made to the Freedom & Hope Foundation, a Non-Profit Benefiting Wounded Warriors, 598 Hollands Landing Road, Prosperity, SC 29127 or the Westport Lions Club, 875 State Road, Unit 11-120, Westport, MA 02790.