Carolyn Phelps Busch

She was born May 18, 1935, in Houston, Texas, the oldest child of Walter Nowell Phelps, a machinist, and Mary Elizabeth Robinson Phelps.

A life-long resident of the Greater Houston area, Carolyn and her sister Linda grew up in Kashmere Gardens with their cousins living nearby. Together the girls participated in Home Demonstration and 4-H, raising poultry, caring for a small garden, cooking, canning, and sewing. She fondly remembered taking the bus into downtown to the movie theaters which had air conditioning. Carolyn graduated from Jeff Davis High School in 1953. Following school, she worked for Prudential Insurance located in what is now the One Main Building of the University of Houston Downtown.

She married Willy Curt Pablo Busch in 1956, and together they raised four children.

Carolyn attended Peace Lutheran Church in Galena Park until it closed; all her children were baptized and confirmed there. She was then a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Pasadena until it closed, then she became a member of Trinity Lutheran Downtown. Her three oldest children attended school at Peace Lutheran, and she was active in the parents' organization, sewing and cooking for school programs. She was a member of the LWML, created banners and decorated the church for the seasons and festivals, and cooked for potlucks, funerals, and weddings. She assisted with preparing and cleaning up following communion, cleaning the church, and counting the offering. She loved singing at church. With her mother baking her renowned wedding cakes, Carolyn catered weddings, and her daughters assisted.

In the 1970s her youngest daughter joined Girl Scouts; Carolyn volunteered to be an assistant leader, and then a leader. Girl Scouting would be a passion for the rest of her life. For ten years she led first troop 754, then troop 1542, at one time having more than 30 girls in the troop. As Chairman of District 7, she served on the Board of Directors of San Jacinto Girl Scouts, the largest Girl Scout Council in the United States at the time. Three of her girls would go on to earn the highest girl honor, the Gold Award (equivalent to Eagle Scout). She represented the council at national conventions and would go on to serve as Area 6 Membership Coordinator, being responsible for much of East Texas, as a trainer, train-the-trainer, mentor, and sometimes mediator, but always as a volunteer. The whole family was brought along, earning them the Family Award. Carolyn received numerous recognitions for her work, including the Thanks Badge, Continuing Service Award, and Thanks Badge II, the second highest award for volunteers. She was active for as long as her body would let her, but she was a Girl Scout to the end. The trainers in the council today are the legacy of people she trained and taught to do training. Her most enduring scouting legacy is the service of the girls of her troop, who have gone on to be teachers, librarians, a Red Cross trainer, medical workers, and scouting troop leaders. She was proud of them all.

In her later years Carolyn developed a passion for genealogy, taking numerous trips to photograph headstones and do research. She learned that she may be descended from several members of the Mayflower but had yet to prove the relation.

Carolyn is survived by her husband of 64 years, Willy C.P. Busch, sister Linda Long (Woodley) of Buffalo, her children Wanda Marie Busch Childress (Steve Childress) of Conroe; Paul Curt Busch (Lori Leffingwell) of Bellville; Donna Carol Busch of Galena Park; and Amy Elizabeth Busch [Forsyth] Heiman (Brian Heiman) of Houston. She is also survived by 6 grandchildren Matthew Thomas Childress (Lazara Coronado) of Katy; Michael Paul Childress; Sarah Elizabeth Busch (D. Fisher) of Melbourne, Australia; Jonathan Andrew Busch (Rachel Reed) of Missouri City; David Allen Busch of Jupiter, Florida, and Mary Helena Forsyth of Houston; 4 great-grandchildren, Natalia Isabella & Curtis Diego Childress of Katy, and Jonas Allen & Jeremiah Thomas Childress of Conroe, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at Forest Park Lawndale in the Grand Chapel. Visitation will be at 1:30 p.m., service at 2:30 p.m., and a graveside ceremony will follow. Due to COVID-19, attendance at the service will be limited.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to San Jacinto Girl Scouts or Trinity Lutheran Downtown.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the Busch family.