We regret to advise of the death of Chief Petty Officer Lee Palmer Bushen (Ret’d) of Upper Sackville, NS at Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Building in Halifax, NS on 15 January 2009 at the age of 88 years.
Lee was born in West Dublin NS. He began his naval career as an ordinary seaman in the Merchant Navy in 1937. He was a veteran of the Second World War, enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1939 as an Able Seaman. He advanced to Leading Seaman, to Petty Officer and finally to Chief Petty Officer First Class, Master Gunner. During the war, Lee served aboard many ships; Lady Hawkins, HMCS Assiniboine, HMCS Skeena, HMCS Avalon, HMCS Stadacona, HMCS Cornwallis, the armed yacht HCMS Hochelaga, the frigate HMCS Stettler.
On release from the Navy, he enrolled in a carpentry course in 1945. He worked on several ships as a carpenter and later became a self-employed contractor, building houses in Liverpool as well as Cape Breton. He moved his family moved to Cape Breton in 1954. While there, he served as a Sapper in the 45th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers in Sydney, NS. He closed his carpentry business after many years and worked for Reid's Building Supplies in Sydney until his retirement. He moved to Upper Sackville in 2004 to be near the rest of the family. He was a member of the Cape Breton Naval Veterans' Association and the Royal Canadian Legion.
Visitation will be held from 2 until 4 PM and from 7 until 9 PM on Sunday, 18 January in the Atlantic Funeral Home in Lower Sackville. A funeral service will be held at 11 AM on 19 January at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beaverbank, NS with a reception to follow in the church hall. Burial will be in the Oakridge Memory Gardens, Lower Sackville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the QE II Health Sciences Centre Foundation, Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Building Garden Fund, Church of the Good Shepherd Memorial Fund or charity of your choice.
