Long Time Shrewsbury Resident Dies

If you know of a person who was a current or former resident of Shrewsbury before they died, and they are not mentioned here, add them to the list in the comments field.

Robert D. Bushey, of Shrewsbury, died Tuesday, Jan. 10 at home from injuries sustained in a tree-cutting accident on his property. He was 72. With such sad and profound irony, Bob died doing what he loved the most, working on his Christmas tree farm on High Street

He was born Sept. 15, 1939 in Framingham, a son of the late Donald H. & Dorothy V. (Gray) Bushey and moved to Shrewsbury where he lived most of his life. He attended Shrewsbury Schools and graduated from Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire. He attended University of New York in Morrisville where he attained a degree in agricultural chemistry. Bob then served in the United States Army just prior to the Vietnam War. He graduated from Clark University with a bachelor's degree in Business.

His professional career began at Waltham Field Station and then as a chemist for American Cyanamid in New Jersey. He was a principal engineer for Polaroid Corporation in Waltham for over 30 years. At Polaroid he was highly regarded and known to peers as a problem solver and "go-to" guy in his field. He achieved patent rights for inventions while at Polaroid.

His other passion was agriculture. Bob was a rugged individualist and known to his family as the "engineering and gentlemen's farmer." He owned and operated a Christmas tree farm on High Street since 1978 that was known among insiders as the best kept secret in Shrewsbury. It wasn't just an ordinary tree farm. With statistical analysis every tree was accounted for and he had various methods and schedules for fertilizing, maintaining and growing his Christmas trees. Based upon good product and word of mouth Bob advertised only once with a poster on one of the doors at Spag's. He also enjoyed membership in the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Growers Association. As an engineer he co-designed and optimized the solar house that exists on the property built in 1981. He was a professional "tinkerer" and always had an experiment on-going and something to tweek. Bob Bushey loved life. He will be so very much missed.

He leaves his children, Kimberly S. Duprey of Boylston and Alan R. Bushey and his wife, Cynthia, of Shrewsbury; his sister, Barbara J. Daniels and her husband, Alan, of Pocasset; his grandchildren, twins Kassidy and Alyssa Duprey and Zachary, Oliva and Jasper Bushey; his former wife, Constance L. (Brothers) Bushey McLaughlin in New York; his "grand dogs", Topaz and Izzy; nieces and nephews.

Honor Bob's memory by planting a tree or with a contribution to Autism Resource Center of Central Mass, 71 Sterling Street, West Boylston, MA 01583.

Albert F. Convery, 83, of Westborough and formerly of Eastham and Auburn, died Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester.

He leaves his wife of 20 years, Eleanor V. (Lewis) Bigwood; his two sons, Albert F. Convery, Jr. of Plantation, FL and David T. Convery of Holden; his daughter, Carol A. Vozella of Auburn; his five step children, Donald Bigwood of Ellsworth, ME, Donna Stanish of Guilford, CT, Paul Bigwood and Paula Bigwood, both of Shrewsbury, and Peter Bigwood of Westborough; 13 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jean (Bombicion) Convery in 1990, and by his sister, Eleanor Cleary and his brother, Henry Convery. He was born in Worcester, a son of the late Albert F. and Loretta (Hughes) Convery and graduated from Worcester Boys Trade, where he was a standout athlete and a member of the undefeated football team in 1945 that went 8 -0. He served in the 212th Air National Guard Wing. Albert was a dedicated fan of all the New England sports team, loved the time he spent on Cape Cod and enjoyed reading.

Albert retired in 1991 as the manager of the general stores, the shipping and receiving department of Massachusetts Electric in Worcester, where he had worked for 38 years.

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