Jonathan Peter Bush, 67

1957-2025

All who knew him would agree– Jonathan was one of the kindest, gentlest men to walk on this earth. His love for his wife, Maggie, and his children Sarah and Sam, was seemingly boundless. His dedication as a father and a husband was unquestionable. He was humble in his manner of devotion– to his family as he worked to provide in all ways, and to himself and his passions as he made time for long bike rides, and stayed up late nightly working on photo editing, gently strumming a tune on his guitar, or gazing up at the moon and stars.

Jonathan always seemed to have things in perspective. For those who mattered most to him, he would gladly do anything. He was always in motion, but rarely in a hurry. Everything he set his mind to was done with careful attention– a generosity constantly expressed in his very actions. He had a sense of presence and natural inclination to live in the moment. He had a wonderful and witty sense of humor, with a subtle delivery, from which the keenest listener would get a good laugh.

Among the most well-known of his passions was that of photography. His curiosity and wonder on the topic seemed like a continuous blossoming of renewed interest, from photographing his family, the ocean, flowers and birds, to the latest subject of interest involving the addition of a telescope, the timeliness of a total eclipse, and an unfolding series of up-close photography of the moon and the milky way galaxy.

"I enjoy every minute of looking through a viewfinder whenever the light is right and feel no different today than I did as a young teenager in exploring the world around me while observing and capturing scenes that elicit an emotional response within me."

Jonathan Bush, Flickr Bio & Collection of Photographs

Upon his passing, we have received an outpouring of heartwarming messages from friends and family expressing how cherished Jonathan—Our Dad—was in the way he connected with each one of them. Many shared specific memories they'll hold onto forever, while others highlighted the genuine interest he always showed in their latest family updates, life events or personal pursuits.

Jonathan deeply enjoyed several physical pursuits as well, including spending his formative years on the Ithaca Crew Team, sailing through storms on Cape Cod, and windsurfing (his and Maggie's first date). He took great pride in his yard work, and keeping the bird feeders well stocked. He was an avid cyclist; a passion that aided him in raising tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research over 25 years of riding in the Pan Mass Challenge.

Jonathan passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on the morning of Wednesday, March 26th, in his home. He is survived by his beloved wife of forty years, Maggie, and his children Sarah and Sam, as well as his daughter-in-law, Brina, his siblings Jane, Mark and Jeff… and a countless number of other friends and relatives who grieve the loss of this incredibly special man.

Jonathan was born in Boston, MA, and is predeceased by his parents, Al and Elaine Bush. He was a graduate of Ithaca College (IC), Ithaca, NY, where he majored in Business Administration, and was a passionate and dedicated member of the IC Crew Team.

In memory of Jonathan, donations can be made to the following causes, which were meaningful to Jonathan.

• Protect our Birds – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

• Ithaca College Men's Crew Team

An intimate memorial gathering will be held later this spring in one of his favorite places. Invitations are to follow.