Connie L. Busch

is honored with a Medium Bench from Connie Kenney.

When I first learned about the Plaza of Heroines I immediately thought how wonderful it was to have a place to honor Mother. I know everyone thinks their mother is special, but I think mine was remarkable in so-o-o many ways.

She was born May 19, 1894 in Norwich, Kansas. Later her family moved to Wichita where, as a young woman, she worked at Vale Jewelry Store until she married my father F.X. Busch on September 26, 1919. My father owned Busch's Shoe Repair which later became Busch's Shoe & Luggage. They had six children and Daddy died at the age of 44, leaving my mother the job of raising us by herself. I'm sure it was not easy.Times were hard, but I never in my life heard her complain.

During World War II the three boys went in the service so she ran Busch's. She felt that this would give Frank something to come home to. When he did, she went to work at Rock Motor Court where she continued working until she died at the age of 103 and 1/2. She was good to everyone and everyone was her friend. At the motel, if someone was down and out she let them stay for free; if they needed food or money she helped them. We often complained that people were taking advantage of her, but she wouldn't listen.

As a mother, she gave us the opportunity to get all the education we wanted and would help us with whatever we needed but she did not interfere.

She was fun to be around and had a love of life and when we traveled she always went with us. She was game for anything. She loved bingo and the slots in Vegas. At 90 she took a land tour through Japan and China. At 95 she celebrated her birthday dancing on the top deck of the Love Boat.

At 100 we took her car away, but she refused to quit working. So we took her to work at 9:00 a.m. and picked her up at 6:00 p.m. until she was 103 years old.

Maybe no one part of this story makes Connie Busch remarkable but the whole package of loving, devoted mother, hard-working entrepreneur and compassionate, giving member of the community certainly qualifies her as a heroine in my book.

September 6, 1998