He was born March 15th, 1939, the seventh of ten children to hard-working parents in the Louisiana Delta. He spent the majority of his childhood and teenage years in the cotton fields with his family, trying to coax a living out of the sandy soil.

At age 21, after a four year stint in the United States Navy, James disembarked from his ship, the U.S.S. Morton DD948, on the coast of California. His family didn’t have a phone and he didn’t have air fare, so he hitchhiked back across the country to his parents’ home. His appearance on his Mother’s doorstep was a delightful surprise for Ola Mae Rushing.

Shortly afterwards, James found his way to Natchez, MS to visit some old friends— and a certain young woman from his early years. The lovely preacher’s daughter had been married and divorced while he was gone and was currently raising three little girls’ on a clerk’s salary. Love was in the air. James married his childhood friend and took her and her tiny wedding party to live on his farm.

James E. Rushing is neither rich nor famous by the standards the world uses to judge such things, but in my eyes, he’s all of that and more, for I am the youngest daughter of that aforementioned wedding party. James E. (Ed) Rushing is my dad. With his birthday approaching, I’ve chosen to forego a quote from one of our famous southerners to listen to one of Papa’s everyday southern sayings. It’s my hope that this entire piece will stir pleasant memories of your own father. As it is the visual power of our southern speech that we’re accustomed to celebrating here on the porch, listen as Papa draws you a word picture. For this hardworking southerner has been known to say,

“I’m busier than a bumblebee trying to bore a hole in a steel pipe.” – James Ed Rushing

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If you've stumbled onto my porch through an Internet search, I'd like to invite you to join us at All Things Southern where we celebrate the charm and heritage of the South. While you're there you can subscribe to my FREE weekly emag, find a list of the stations carrying the “All Things Southern Radio Show”, listen to an audio clip, watch my latest TV porch chat, shop online, register for my monthly give-a-way…and much more! Oh, and I'll be there if you want to chat. See 'ya there! ~Shellie



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