It is with great sadness that we announce that Dale Alan Bushey, 67, of Williston, Vt., passed away on June 8, 2026, peacefully surrounded by his loving family, at McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, after a long battle with interstitial lung disease.
Born in Burlington, Vt., on January 25, 1959, Dale was the son of the late Linwood and Dorothy (Lahaie) Bushey. He was predeceased by his son, Justin Joseph Bushey, who passed away in 2003.
He is survived by his wife, Kathryn (Jacobs) Bushey; and his beloved daughter, Amber Bushey, and her husband, Mark Gaworecki, of Essex, Vt., and their sons, Emmett and Evan Gaworecki. He leaves behind his siblings, Judy (Richard) Hosking of Essex; Virgil Bushey of Florida; Charles Bushey of Washington; and Robin Plouffe and her partner, Ken Bouchard, of Essex. He also leaves many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, all of whom left an indelible mark on his life.
Dale grew up on his family farm in Essex, spending many hours working the fields. He met the love of his life, Kathy, and they were married on February 4, 1984. They welcomed their daughter, Amber, and their son, Justin.
Over the years, Dale built a life centered on family, the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, his great love of gardening, the outdoors and, in his later years, spending time with his grandsons. Dale was known for his green thumb, specifically his vegetable gardens, which provided a veritable bounty of vegetables for family, friends or passersby. He was extremely proud to pass on his love of gardening to his grandsons, with whom he enjoyed entering prize-winning vegetables into competitions at the Champlain Valley Fair.
Dale spent many years working for his family farm, Ormond Bushey & Sons, and was a founding employee of the Lowe’s store in South Burlington, where he was employed until his passing.
He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, towering bonfires and very unique sense of humor.
Dale’s family wishes to extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. James Dougherty, Dr. Charlotte Teneback and the entire staff at McClure Miller Respite house, who were so caring during his stay.
A graveside service will be held on June 26, 2026, 11 a.m., at Deer View Cemetery in Williston, followed by a celebration of life at the Holy Family Parish Center in Essex. All are welcome to attend, and, in tribute to Dale’s impeccable sense of fashion, the family requests that everyone wear their finest Hawaiian or island style.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Justin Bushey Memorial Scholarship at the Center for Technology, Essex or the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.