Dr. Albert Jasper Bush III “Dr. Dirt”, age 71, died peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Bush is survived by his sister, Janice Bush Vining (Jerry) of Lafayette, La.; his two sons, Scott Clinton Bush (Julie) and Jeffry Alan Bush (Kyle); and three grandchildren, Brady Bush, Lindsey Bush and Merritt Bush.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Upchurch Bush; mother, Lois Hatton Bush and father, Albert J. Bush Jr.

Dr. Bush also is survived by his special friend, Jinnie Jones Craig of West Monroe, La. 

Al served 39-plus years as a researcher, a principle investigator, a branch chief, a deployed Army Reservist and a division chief in a major Corps of Engineers research laboratory.

Throughout these years, he managed far-reaching research programs and made his greatest contributions to the welfare of our nation’s warfighters.

Dr. Bush made perhaps his ultimate personal contribution by deploying for three months to Operation Joint Endeavor and Joint Guardian (Bosnina-Hertzegovina) as a civilian, and again later for seven months in his U.S. Army Reserve rank of lieutenant colonel.

While in Bosnia, Al authored two publications that proved extremely useful to forces in theater. Dr. Bush managed the pioneering efforts of an airfield construction concept that has been referred to as “the Holy Grail of Force Projection.”

Dr. Bush was inducted in the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Gallery of Distinguished Employees in March 2007.  He served 38 years as a member of the 412 Engineer Command and ended his service as a full colonel.

He served as chairperson for the American Society for Testing and Materials. Dr. Bush received the Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service by the Secretary of the Army, and the Wheeler Medal for outstanding accomplishments as a research civil engineer from the Society of American Military Engineers.

The Army Engineer Association presented Al with The Silver Order of the Fleury Medal for his inspirational leadership to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Al enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf and attending Mississippi State University athletic events. 

Family members will receive friends at Riles Funeral Home in Vicksburg from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22. 

A funeral service will be Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. at Crawford Street United Methodist Church in Vicksburg, with the Rev. Carey Stockett. An interment service will be at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Bradley, at 3 p.m. following the service.

Honorary pallbearers are William Allen Kitchens Sr., Eugene Columbus, Russell Hawkins, Dr. Robert Hall, Henry Himstedt, Johnny Upchurch, Dennis Dill, Glynn Russell and all members of his lifelong Mississippi State University football tailgate group.      

Memorials may be made in memory of Al to The American Cancer Society or Crawford Street United Methodist Church.