Niles Brush

Niles Brush, 39, passed away on July 26, 2014, early in the morning, at home with his loving wife Michelle, parents, and mother-in-law at his side.
Niles Everett Brush was born to Ray W. II and Bette Jeanne Brush on November 25, 1974, at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. In 1976, Niles and his parents moved to Butte, Montana. Niles attended McKinley Grade School, West Elementary School, East Middle School, and Butte High. He graduated from Butte High in 1993 as one of the class valedictorians and President of the Butte High National Honor Society. In the fall of 1993, he enrolled at the University of Montana. He left the University in 1995 and enrolled in the US Army Military Police Corps in 1999.
During Niles' military career, he was deployed to Germany, Kosovo, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq. Niles was severely wounded at a check point south of Bagdad while participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2003. He spent the next four years of military service in physical rehab, being released from active duty in 2007. During this period, he earned an associate degree from Barton College.
Niles returned to Missoula where he became a support specialist in the Missoula Police Department, continuing his involvement in law enforcement. He enrolled in the University of Montana College of Technology, earning an associate degree in paralegal studies in 2011. Niles re-enrolled into the University of Montana, majoring in political science and history. In 2012, Niles became involved in local politics. He ran for the Montana State Senate as a Republican from District 50. Even though he lost the general election, he learned a lot on the campaign trail. He was especially proud of his work on several planks to the State Republican 2012 platform at the state convention in Missoula. Niles was a certified election judge and poll manager, and worked as the poll manager in Potomac, Montana for the both the primary and general elections in 2012. In the spring of 2013, he attended the Conservative Political Action Committee National Convention in Washington, D.C. where he met many of the Republican Party leaders. That May, he received degrees in political science and history from the University of Montana with honors in both.
At his graduation party, Niles announced his engagement to Michelle Hitchcock, with plans to get married in 2014. Niles was diagnosed with malignant melanoma a few months later, so they decided to not put off their wedding, but to get married as soon as possible. Niles and Michelle were married on August 16, 2013, one of their happiest and proudest moments. They traveled that fall to Seattle for Niles to be considered for melanoma clinical trials at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Hospital. This provided for an impromptu honeymoon that involved site seeing and amazing dinners. Even with his cancer, Michelle noted that "he walked her into the ground on the hills of Seattle". Niles courageously fought his cancer for the next 11 months, but lost the battle.
Niles was preceded in death by his grandparents Roy E. Burditt, Ray W. Brush, Sr. and Naomi Brush; uncles Robert Brush, Bill Burditt, and Dave Donahue; and cousin Christopher Jo Anderson. Niles is survived by his wife Michelle, parents Ray and Bette Jeanne, younger brother Edward Brush (fiancé Elizabeth Gagnon), nephew Diedrich Brush, niece Rheanna Brush, grandmother Margaret Burditt, aunts Bonnie Donahue, Bar Jo Biggers, Sherryl Burditt and Katie Brush, stepsons Kail and Jaren Hitchcock, grandchildren Cash and Laenie, mother-in-law Marlene Schwartz, sister-in-law Tammy Hitchcock and her children Dylan, Sierra, and Royce, and grandmother-in-law Fran Hirsch. He is survived by numerous cousins and special friends April Brush-Persinger, Angelo Persinger, Roberta Symons and Greg Symons. Niles enjoyed the company of his four-footed friends Sadie, Mad Max, Waffles, and Luna.
The family extends a heartfelt thank you to Niles' oncologist, Dr. Sarah Scott, and the staff at St Patrick's Cancer Center in Missoula, Dr. Lee, and the staff of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Hospital, as well as the staff of Partners in Home Care. Their care, attention to detail, and compassion during Niles' illness is greatly appreciated.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 31, 2014 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 830 South Ave. W. in Missoula followed by interment at Missoula City Cemetery with full military honors, with a reception following the graveside at 4400 Ranch Club Park.
Garden City Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com


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