Nadine Bush

Nadine W. Bush, of Oak Ridge, passed away peacefully October 8, 2024, after a long battle with dementia. She was born on July 14, 1939, to Oren and Veola White in Kings Mountain, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband of 50 years, Reverend Danny Bush. She leaves behind her children Charlotte Cunningham (Jerry) and Mark Bush, grandchildren Carolyn, Ian and Gabby Miller, Olivia Daniels, and Sierra and Collin Bush. 

Nadine started playing the piano as a young child, playing for church services at 8 years old. While her husband was a student at Southwestern Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX, she studied organ. She played the organ at many churches throughout her life, most recently The United Church Chapel on the Hill in Oak Ridge and First Baptist Church of Clinton. She was a very accomplished organist and pianist, playing at many weddings, funerals and events.

Nadine was proud of her education. She earned a Master of Science degree at UT Knoxville at the age of 60. She worked for John Auxier, Auxier and Associates, for several years followed by International Technologies in Knoxville.

She also taught piano and organ to literally hundreds of children and adults over the years. Her students won many awards with several majoring in music in college. Early on, she taught in her student’s homes or at a church. Then one of her adult students bought her a brand new piano for her home. A few years after that, her husband, Danny, bought her a beautiful, black grand piano. This piano is now Charlotte’s prize possession.

The family will hold a private service for Nadine later this month. Many thanks to Fabian Mott of Mott McKamey Funeral Home in Oak Ridge for his thoughtful and professional care. Gifts in her honor should go to help the families struggling in the wake of Helene in Nadine’s beloved mountains of North Carolina.

Mott-McKamey Funeral Home and Cremations is assisting the Bush family.