Ivan Rush, two others to receive Public Service To Ag Awards
LINCOLN—Three Nebraskans have been selected to receive Public Service Service to Agriculture Awards at the Nebraska Agribusiness Club’s 43rd annual awards banquet Nov. 5 at Lincoln.
The 2009 honorees are Ivan Rush of Scottsbluff, Dayle Wiliamson of Lincoln and the late Charles H. Adams of Lincoln who will be honored posthumously, according to Tammy Meyer, chair of the Club’s Awards Committee.
Guest speaker at the banquet will be R. P. Smith, cowboy poet, of Broken Bow.
Meyer said the banquet is open to the public. Tickets are $23 each. Reservations should be mailed by Oct. 26 to Dayle Williamson, 5315 Thies Cove Drive, Lincoln, NE 68516, phone 402-441-3178 or 402-488-5590.
Adams was known for teaching as well as advising more than 10,000 animal science students, student organizations and serving as an administrator during more than three decades in what is now the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A native of Burdick, KS, he received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University specializing in factors influencing meat tenderness and methods of appraising meat tenderness. He joined UNL in 1947 as assistant professor of animal science and moved through the ranks to professor. Adams served as coach of the University’s Meats Judging Teams from 1947 to 1966 and advised the Block and Bridle Club from 1952 to 1957. He served as assistant dean of CASNR from 1974 to 1983. He retired as professor emeritus in 1984 and passed away in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Beryle Adams, who currently resides in Lincoln.
Rush served 35 years as beef cattle specialist/scientist at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff operated by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UNL. He retired in 2008 and currently operates a cow-calf herd with 200 beef cows. Prior to joining the Panhandle Center, he served as a livestock specialist at Colombia, South America from 1967 to 1970 and as UNL Extension educator in Dawson County at Lexington from 1965 to 1967. A native of Jasper, MO. Rush received B. S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Missouri and a doctorate in ruminant nutrition from Oklahoma State University. His primary research emphasis has been on beef cattle production from conception to the plate where the economic return to the producer and the industry was the most important aspect of the research. He is recognized nationally in the beef industry and has provided outstanding leadership for the 4-State Range Beef symposium which attracts 1,000 producers from surrounding states and Canada. The Rush family includes his wife, Doris, a daughter, Cynthia Rush of Scottsbluff, and a daughter, Angela Schaneman of Denton.
Williamson is known for his efforts in the formation and activation of Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts. A native of Fillmore County, he graduated from Ohiowa High School. Williamson received a bachelor’s degree in general agriculture and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army at UNL in 1953. Then he served two years in the U.S. Army Artillery and became Assistant County Agent in Gage County Extension Agent and Jefferson County Agent. Williamson began what became his life’s profession in 1958 as Assistant Executive Secretary of the Nebraska Soil and Water Commission. He progressed through other leadership positions and agency name changes and was named director of the Nebraska Department Resources by Governors Kerry, Orr and Nelson. He retired in 2000. His military career almost paralleled his professional career. He joined the Nebraska National Guard in 1955 and retired as Brigadier General, Officer of the Line, in 1985. Since
2001 he has served as agricultural representative for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson. Williamson has two daughters: Sandra Williamson of Memphis, TN, Susan Lockwood of Kimball and a son, David Williamson of Los Angeles, CA.
