Dr. Joseph (Joe) Edward Grush

Dr. Joseph (Joe) Edward Grush of DeKalb, passed away peacefully on April 11, 2023, with his family at his side.  Joe was born on May 1, 1943, in St. Louis Missouri to Edward and Henrietta Grush, being the second of ten children.  He grew up in a loving home where siblings were not only family but also the closest of friends, strengthened by their commitment to their faith and one another.

Following eighth grade, he entered the Franciscan seminary with intentions to become a priest.  While he ultimately chose a different path, service to his fellow man, his community, and those less fortunate remained the guiding principle for the remainder of his life.

Dr. Grush obtained his B.A. degree in Philosophy from Quincy College in 1967 and his Ph.D. degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois in 1974.  He married the love of his life, Karen, in June of 1971, and came to the DeKalb area in the fall of 1974.  That year, he began his academic career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU).  He was tenured and promoted up through the academic ranks from Assistant to Associate and full Professor.  He earned a reputation as being tough but fair.  He was a multiple winner of the Department of Psychology's award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching and the Student Psychological Association Award for Excellence in Teaching.  As a researcher he published regularly in highly prestigious journals and was successful in obtaining external resources for his research.

Following his role as a professor, he entered and progressed through the administrative ranks at NIU.  He served as Director of Graduate Studies and Chair of the Department of Psychology, leading the department to national recognition in scholarship and external research funding.  He then served as Associate Dean and Acting Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and ultimately as Vice Provost for Resource Planning with oversight of budgets and personnel.  Dr. Grush retired, Professor Emeritus, in 2010 with 36 years of dedicated service to Northern Illinois University.  He truly earned the distinction of being a faculty member and administrator who remains respected and admired.

From youth to college to accomplished professor and administrator, and even into retirement, one true love followed Joe through every phase of his life – baseball.  As a child, he played every waking hour he could at Marquette Park in St. Louis.  Even until the last few months of his life, he met regularly with his baseball group to study, debate, and reminisce about the game that brought him so much joy.  There was no baseball trivia question Joe couldn't answer correctly.  His favorite team without a doubt was his beloved hometown St. Louis Cardinals.

Another of Joe's passions was travel.  A lifelong educator, he was also a lifelong learner and for Joe travel was less about the beauty of the sights to be seen and more about the beauty of the people to be met, the culture to be experienced, and the history of the destination.  He had the great fortune to visit dozens of countries, but he often spoke fondly of his most meaningful trips.  He had no biological son of his own, but through life's events he gained two sons and was able to take them to Scotland and play golf at The Old Course in St. Andrews.  Other memorable trips included a pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu, an archeological excavation in Honduras, and an African safari experiencing the rare sighting of the Big Five game animals.  His final trip was one he had planned for and dreamed of for years.  Joe loved the Western movie genre and he wanted to "ride off into the sunset."  At Lost Creek Ranch in Wyoming, his dream became reality as he rode at the foothills of the majestic Grand Teton mountains.

Joe strongly believed in the power of education and the opportunities it provides for a better life.  As a first-generation college student, he did not take his experience for granted and made providing access to education for others both a career and personal goal.  When Joe was at NIU, he initiated a Just in Time seating model for students, ensuring class availability, knowing the importance it played in keeping them on track for graduation.  Joe and Karen together created an endowed scholarship at the NIU Foundation so that their legacy can help to provide access to education to those that would otherwise not have such opportunities.

Joe was a thoughtful, kind, and generous man putting the needs of others before himself.  He was involved with many charities and non-profits but sought out specific organizations and was intentional in his giving to use as teaching moments for his children and grandchildren.  Together they have funded the building of multiple wells in Africa so school-age girls could attend school rather than hike miles to a river for water.  They have provided for hundreds of eye procedures to prevent blindness in under-developed countries so that children could see and learn in school.  Throughout many years Joe also formed a strong connection with a Jesuit Indian school serving less fortunate and often forgotten children in our own country.  He was a member of their Board of Advisors and made a visit to the reservation donating both his time and financial resources.  Numerous other charities benefited from Joe's generosity.

Above all else, there was nothing Joe loved more or was prouder of than the family he and Karen created together.  Spending time with his grandchildren was his absolute favorite thing to do.  One of the most meaningful and special days of his life was on June 12 ^th , 2021, his 50 ^th wedding anniversary with Karen, when his immediate family gathered to celebrate their tremendous milestone in a private but formal celebration.  Joe, being the professor he is, created a slideshow presentation with pictures, facts, and historical notes.  He taught each of his family members something about their legacy that evening.  How it began, why it is proud, and the values we hold dear.  He would later say he also learned a lesson that evening.  His wife Karen, his daughter Elizabeth, his son Aleks, their spouses, and especially his three grandchildren, Alexis, Ethan, and Ana have been listening and have been taught well by example, and through them, Joseph Grush's amazing life and legacy will continue.

He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.  Joe was preceded in death by his parents Edward and Henrietta Grush, his siblings Ray Grush, Rose Bivens, and Peggy Hoekstra.

He is survived by Karen, his loving wife of 51 years; his daughter Elizabeth (Liz) Guess and husband Chris and grandchildren Alexis and Ethan; his son Aleks Kosoric and wife Erica and grandchild Ana; and his siblings Barb Lind, Fred (Janet) Grush, Helen (Nick) Iadevito, Mike (Nancy) Grush, Janet (Larry) Ingram, and Ken (Lee Ann) Grush and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a private ceremony for his immediate family where his cremated ashes will be blessed on May 1, 2023, his 80 ^th birthday.

A Celebration of Joe's Life will be held at Northern Illinois University, Altgeld Hall Auditorium (116 Altgeld Hall Drive, DeKalb, Illinois 60115) on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. with visitation to follow from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe's memory may be made to the Joseph and Karen Grush Endowed Scholarship in Psychology and Nursing at the NIU Foundation or to the Karen and Joseph Grush Charitable Fund at the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

Sincerest gratitude to his oncologist Dr. Joshua M. Lang (UW Madison) and his physician Dr. Dhaval N. Thakkar (Northwestern Medicine) for years of compassionate care.  Many thanks and appreciation to Dr. Robert A. Bayer, Dr. Amit D. Bhate, Dr. Jeremiah Loch, Dr. Zachary S. Hildner (Northwestern Medicine) and the entire team at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital and Cancer Center.

Cremation arrangements were entrusted to:  Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak Street, DeKalb, Illinois 60115 815-758-3841.