Walter Allen Vanderbush, 87, of Franklin, IN, died on Monday, May 2, 2022, at home.  Walt was born on May 13, 1934, in Easton, Pennsylvania, to the late Walter Harry and Dorothy (Bidwell) Vanderbush. He was married to Patience (Kinloch) Vanderbush for nearly 66 years.

Walt and Patience met while both were students at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, and married in 1956, the year Walt graduated. Walt was an outstanding basketball player at West Orange High School in New Jersey (first team All-State Group IV) and while at Juniata was inducted into the Juniata College Sports Hall of Fame.

Walt began his long career in public education as a history and English teacher and basketball coach for 13 years at Bangor High School (PA), Newport High School (PA), Steelton High School (PA), and Hilton High School (NY). He returned to graduate school full-time in 1969 to complete his PhD in educational administration at Purdue University and spent the remainder of his professional career as a high school principal, from 1971-1982 at Buchanan High School (MI) and from 1983-2000 at Franklin Community High School (IN).

Walt was an avid sports fan who closely followed many teams (including Butler men's basketball, Purdue football and women's basketball, the Indiana Fever, and the Indianapolis Colts), but he most enjoyed following the athletic careers of his children and grandchildren. During Walt's years as a high school principal, he and Patience hosted foreign exchange students from several countries (including Brazil, Japan, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and The Netherlands) who became lifelong friends. Walt loved to travel, and he and Patience visited all 50 states and a total of 44 countries together, including special trips abroad with their grandchildren.  He was a passionate defender of civil rights and volunteered for Indianapolis PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) of Indiana.  For several years he wrote a weekly column for the Johnson County Daily Journal about local high school graduates who played college sports.

Besides his wife Patience, Walt is survived by their five children -- Walter K. Vanderbush (Caroline McClellan) of Oxford, OH; Kevin Vanderbush (Becky) of Indianapolis, IN; Patience Vanderbush (Rosalie Dominik) of Durham, NC; Sherry Bujarsky (Chuck) of Franklin, IN; and Randy Vanderbush (Audra) of Plainfield, IN.  He is also survived by 10 grandchildren – Brock Vanderbush, Kortney Vanderbush, Blake Vanderbush (Lauren), Reed Murphy (Beth), Carly Geis (Brian), Chelsea Coffman (Ethan), Kaylin Scott (Dustin), Cael Vanderbush, Caden Vanderbush, and Coen Vanderbush – and eight great grandchildren (Yale and Wright Vanderbush, Lily Murphy, Theo and Archer Geis, Avery and Ryder Coffman, and Dawson Scott).

He was preceded in death by his parents and his grandson Ky Vanderbush.

The family will celebrate Walt's life with a private gathering.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that you donate to an organization of your choice or to one of the following organizations that were important to Walt:  Boys & Girls Club of Franklin, Friends of Johnson County Public Library, Indianapolis PFLAG, the ACLU of Indiana, Franklin Community High School Grizzly Cub Athletics, Ben Davis High School Athletics, or Plainfield High School Athletics.

Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center, 300 South U.S. 31 (Morton Street) in Franklin, IN is handling the arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com .  Information at 317-738-0202.