Evangelist Laura Jean Perkins-Rush

Laura Jean Perkins-Rush was born on Saturday February 21, 1953, in Merigold, Mississippi, to the parentage of Willie Perkins and Ella B. Leggs-Perkins. Laura was the fourth of  fteen children ( ve sisters and nine brothers). She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age and served her Heavenly Father faithfully. Laura moved to Chicago, where she met the love of her life, her best friend, her true soul mate, her rock, her everything, her “Mr. Goodbar,” Elder John T. Rush on 44th and Wabash. On their  rst date at the Downtown Chicago  eater, with a dozen yellow roses as a gift, John “Johnnie” wanted to buy her red roses, but the store didn’t have any; from that day forward, yellow roses became Laura’s favorite. Bound in Holy Matrimony on October 4, 1969, they stayed married for  ftytwo years, through the Glory of God!  eir union was blessed with eight children,  eo, Adraine & Adrin (twins), Ellison, Jqunna, Tyrone, Jacoby, and Kiyana. Laura attended McCorkle Elementary School and graduated from Forestville High School, both on the south side of Chicago. Laura  rst worked as a cashier at Cadillac Record Store on 43rd & State Street; her outgoing personality allowed her to run the entire store. Laura’s employment history was long and varied, just to name a few: waitress at the Co ee Pot Restaurant, bus driver for the J & B Bus Company, coordinator at the food pantry at Cornerstone Church, and later she opened her own daycare service,  e Rugged Cross Daycare. Her true desire to be a nurse pushed her to gather the females in her family, armed with her needle, thread, alcohol, and straw from a broom, she pierced their ears. Laura’s passion for nursing and helping people grew into her passion for cooking and feeding people. Laura and Johnnie started their own catering company, Rush 2 Rush Catering Service.  eir love and desire to feed and make people happy were the secret ingredients in all of their meals.  eir meals were prepared for catering events and family gatherings; their love and food were bountiful. Laura loved the Lord and to served Him in any way she could. Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Gordon Humphrey, is where she and her family started. She joined Holy Spiritual Temple, CornerStone Church of Chicago, under the leadership of Apostles Cleveland and Francis Person, where she served as a nurse, usher, pastor’s aide, in the outreach ministry, and as a choir member. She was also a member of Joyful Harvest International Ministries, under the leadership of Apostles Howard and Julia Homes, and  nally True Word Evangelist Outreach Ministry, under the leadership of Apostles Darnell and Pastor Cookie Lee. She had the ability to wear many hats, and she wore them with grace and love, such as: head nurse, mother’s board, evangelist, armor bearer, missionary, pastor’s aide, headed the fundraising committee, praise dancer, and chef. Laura has left her mark on so many hearts. She leaves us with so many joyful thoughts and memories. Her radiant and infectious smile, along with the compassionate love she exuded, could melt the hearts of anyone. Laura leaves to cherish her memory: her loving husband, Elder John T. Rush; her eight children,  eo (Carmelia), Adraine (Darnell), Adrin (who proceeded her in death), Ellison (Melinda), Jqunna (Ahkeem), Tyrone, Jacoby (who proceeded her in death), and Kiyana Nash; her siblings, Willie (Dorothy)(who proceeded her in death), Qutester (Charles), Lenora (who proceeded her in death), Eddie (Juanita), Elroy (Cheri), Josephine, Kimball (Derrick), Frank (who proceeded her in death), Lois (Darrell), Alex (Antonia), Dante (Towanda), Aaron (Dorthea), Corey, and Nicholas (Latoya); her loving godson, Gregory Perkins; a total of seventy-two grand and great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles; two special childhood friends, Ms. Clara Brown and Ms. Stephanie Watson; and many other friends. Host of Bridge Boys and Bridge Girls for Life.

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