Carole Geraldine Bushee
December 7, 1940 ~ August 28, 2026
Born in:
Columbus, Ohio
Resided in:
Vienna, Virginia
Carole Geraldine Bushée (Finkbone), 85, of Vienna, Virginia, died on August 28, 2026.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, on December 7, 1940, Carole was the daughter of George Roy Finkbone and Sarah Geraldine Cook. After losing her father at age nine, she was raised by her mother in Coral Gables, Florida, while spending summers in Ohio. Carole graduated from Miami Senior High School, where she discovered her love of football while attending the annual Thanksgiving Day rivalry game at the Orange Bowl. She went on to The Ohio State University, was a proud member of Delta Delta Delta and graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
On March 17, 1962, only one day after graduation, Carole married James Wendell “Jim” Bushée, beginning a loving marriage that would last over six decades. She taught elementary school in Columbus for five years before Jim’s career with the Federal Aviation Administration took them to Cleveland, where their children, Doug and Cheryl, were born. In 1970 they settled in Vienna, Virginia, and that was home ever since.
While Carole enjoyed part-time work in real estate and with the Washington Convention and Visitors Association, jobs that deepened her affection for Washington, D.C., her family was always her top priority. She was, above all, a devoted wife, mother and homemaker who made family life special. She loved to cook and entertain, welcoming people into her home. Holidays, family dinners and gatherings were rarely simple if Carole had anything to say about it.
She and Jim also shared their love of travel and adventure. After Jim’s retirement from the FAA and they were empty nesters they moved to Jakarta, Indonesia. Carole joined the Indonesian Heritage Society and traveled throughout the country, including many visits to Bali, as well as trips to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Even their evacuation to Singapore during the Indonesian riots became, in her telling, part of the adventure. She considered those years one of the
highlights of their marriage.
For more than twenty-five years, Carole and Jim skied with close friends in Europe and closer to home, including family holidays at Snowshoe, West Virginia. Together with those friends, they helped found the Downhill Ski and Cross-Country Club. After two hip replacements gave her an excuse to retire her skis, Carole happily cared for her granddaughters while the rest of the family was on the slopes.
Becoming “Grammy” brought Carole enormous joy. She adored her grandchildren and treasured being part of their lives. She and Jim felt especially lucky to live close to their children and families, allowing them to share the everyday moments as well as milestones.
Her love of football never left her. She remained a devoted Ohio State Buckeyes fan and faithfully followed the Washington Commanders through seasons that occasionally required more loyalty than others. She loved sharing Fall Saturdays and Sundays in her home with her teams and others.
In later years, Carole and Jim spent many happy winters in Bonita Springs as members of the Shadow Wood community, returning to Virginia for the rest of the year. In 2023, they moved to Falcons Landing in Potomac Falls, Virginia.
Carole’s Christian faith, shaped by both the Methodist and Presbyterian traditions, was a quiet through-line of her life. She was a longtime member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Vienna. An accomplished pianist and cook, Carole made a home wherever she was – at the piano, in the kitchen, and among the people she loved.
Carole was preceded in death by her husband, James Wendell “Jim” Bushée; her sister, Sarah Georgene Perkins; and her granddaughter, Sarah. She is survived by her son, Doug Bushée, and his wife, Jennifer; her daughter, Cheryl Fyock, and her husband, Brian; and her grandchildren, Jacob, Curtis, Gillian, Quinton, and Ava.
A memorial service honoring Carole will be held in early 2027 in conjunction with the interment of Carole and her husband, Jim, at Arlington National Cemetery. Details will be shared once arrangements are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in her memory to Smiles from Sarah. For more information visit their website at SmilesfromSarah.org.
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Sincerely, Mary Covel