Melvin Henry Bush, 88, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., formerly of Portageville, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2006, at Cape Girardeau.

Born Aug. 27, 1918, in Pemiscot County, Mo., son of the late James Luther and Fannie Belle Wheeler Bush, he was a farmer, a dragline operator and of the Protestant faith.

On May 31, 1941, in the Stanley Community, he married Mary Darlene Lawson, who survives.

Survivors also include four children, Betty Underwood and husband, Joe, of Little Rock, Ark., Barbara Leslie, of Jackson, Mo., Timmy Bush and wife, Cherrie, of El Dorado, Kan., and Ronnie Byrd, of Ozark, Mo.; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Carol Byrd; one sister, Nora McAnally and five brothers, Merrill Bush and Jay, Clarence, John and Luther Pitts.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14, at the John W. German Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Johnson officiating.

Burial was in the Portageville Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Ben and Jason Byrd, Jim and Jeff Bush, Stephen Leslie and Joey Underwood.