Richard Dell Bush

Obituary for Richard Dell Bush

April 13, 1942 ~ October 2, 2019

A baton dropped for the downbeat of a musical extravaganza that would be the life of Richard Dell Bush, son of Oswald Delisle (Dell) Bush and Margaret (Mickey) Main.  He was the oldest of three children.

His musical adventures began with an attraction to the clarinet when he was in the fourth grade.  His mother pleaded for quiet after listening to him practice for hours on end.

He inherited a baritone saxophone that was almost as big as he was in need of loving attention.  In trying to solve the sax’s problems he discovered a love for instrument repair.

Richard developed a passion for jazz music while learning to play swing style on the saxophone in his dad’s dance band.  This talent and a scholarship took him to Utah State University where he majored in music education. He played with the Scotsman Dance Band for five years becoming the leader of the band his last year.  Three other musicians, Rick Jones on bass, Wayne Egan on piano and Bruce Skanchy on drums joined him to form a quartet to play for dances off campus.

He met his future wife, Frances Carr, in a music history class.  They were married August 20, 1963.  These two composed beautiful music together bringing to life a ballad for kids with three verses; David Richard, Catherine Margaret and Karen Frances.

The bassoon became his first love during graduate school.  His determination to become a great bassoon player was consuming.  He eventually became a master bassoon reed maker.

A steady reliable beat measured the path of many enthusiastic private woodwind students to his door where they took lessons on the clarinet, flute, saxophone and bassoon.  “A half hour lesson never took less than an hour,” remarked one successful musician who had taken lessons for years.  A six-week tour playing bari sax with the Stan Kenton band was a thrill he once believed was only a dream.

With Jay and Darrell Rubin, he opened Music Village in the 1970’s, a music store where he repaired instruments and taught lessons.  Wanting more independence, he moved his workshop to the basement of his home.

This symphony of his musical life was occasionally interrupted with fanciful motifs featuring short lived passions he enjoyed including bicycling, tropical fish, photography, gardening and cooking.  Never using a recipe, he experimented in the kitchen creating interesting dishes that were often disastrous.

The tragic finale of his life occurred on October 2, 2019, due to liver cancer.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, David Arthur.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Frances, son, David Bush, daughters Catherine Margaret Schwab (Matt) and Karen Frances Butterworth (Tom), sister, Julie Duke (Tom) and five grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, October 29th, between the hours of 3-5:00 p.m., at the Trinity Presbyterian Church, 140 North Tyler, in Ogden.

His family would like to thank Intermountain Hospice for the wonderful care they provided.

In lieu of flowers the family requests support for his music education passion by making a donation to the Ogden City School District music program.

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