By Carol Stiffler
Kimberlee Smith Bushey, the beloved owner of Kim’s Tally Ho in Curtis, will be remembered at a memorial service this Friday at the Erickson Center for the Arts in Curtis.
Bushey, who died in December, was president of the Curtis Chamber of Commerce at the time of her death. She was 64.
Her memorial will take place from 4-7 p.m., with a prayer and scripture reading by Father Phil Witkowski at 6 p.m. Friends and family will be able to speak after that, and are encouraged to share stories of their time with Bushey.
Brian McDonald, a cousin of Bushey, is one of the main event organizers. He said his cousin would probably like to be remembered for her upbeat nature and unwavering commitment to her community.
“She was a shaker and a baker,” McDonald said. “She couldn’t do enough for that little town, that’s for sure.”
Beth Nicholls, current office manager for the Curtis Chamber of Commerce, said the board has had “big shoes” to fill since losing Bushey.
Many recall that Bushey once bought a million-dollar lottery ticket right at her own bar. She didn’t realize it until after the lottery commission gave her bar a prize for having sold a winning lottery ticket.
Bushey couldn’t recall hearing about a lottery winner and figured the winning ticket must have been purchased by a snowmobiler.
“It was eating on her,” McDonald said. “Then she remembered – ‘I bought one of those tickets. I better run up to the house and see.’ Living right behind the bar, she got the ticket, scanned it, and it was a million-dollar prize.”
She used the proceeds to pay off her bar and purchase an adjacent empty lot on Davis Street. That lot has been used for many festivals and events since, and McDonald, who is overseeing her estate, said he has since given it to the Curtis Chamber of Commerce.
“What better way to memorialize Kim, keep it going, and give back to the community also,” he said.
