Check out my blog from May 23rd 2012. I was at the graduation from High School of my God child and nephew when I found out that Pastor Buss was sick. I returned from the graduation of my God child and niece from college in South Carolina and got the word that Pastor had died. A few weeks back I buried one of my uncles and we commented at the funeral that we are “getting whittled down”. I buried one of my uncles and Gary buried one of my uncles a few years ago as well. Gary was a great friend and IT guy before there were IT guys. He helped me figure out how to do some pretty cool stuff with a Commodore 128 computer. I think he was one of the first to have an Apple back in the day. He was a good guy and a good friend. The only flaw I could find was that he was a Packer fan but…..
Gary died this morning after a long battle with cancer and prayers are coveted for his family and his congregation.
Rev. Gary Buss has been the senior pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Grand Junction for 15 years. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 13th, 1957 and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He did his undergraduate work at Concordia College, Austin Texas. He graduated with a B. A. from Concordia College in Ann Arbor Michigan, where he met his future bride, Beth Kirstowski. He did his post graduate work at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, graduating with a Masters of Divinity in 1983, and has served parishes in North Dakota and Colorado. While in North Dakota, he served as Circuit Counselor and Zone LWML Pastoral Advisor, as well as Zone Pastoral Advisor of the LYF. In Colorado, he has served as the Western Zone LWML Pastoral Advisor, and is currently the Western Circuit Counselor, as well as Chairman of the District Nominating Committee, and a member of the District Theological Unity Committee. He and his lovely wife, Beth, have two children – Mari, who teaches 2nd Grade at St. John’s Lutheran School in Napa, California; and Tim, who is attending Colorado Film School in Aurora, Colorado. Pastor Gary enjoys reading, golfing, going to movies, and rooting for his Green Bay Packers!
God’s blessings to all of the family of Gary Buss, for God’s peace and comfort in the months and years in the future. Gary was a great blessing to me at Ann Arbor and in North Dakota. We keep all the family in prayers this Advent time an always. In Christ, and His courage always,
Pastor John Kiefer, Sandy, Hannah and Seth
PS. Be strong in the Lord always, once more I say, Be strong in the Lord and His great Power always. We will meet Gary in Heaven. keep in touch and be in the Lord always. Keep the faith.
I just found out that pastor Bus past away back in 2014. My family had been going to his church since at least the 80’s. 11 years ago he buried my grandmother Alice Wyatt she thought nothing but the best about him. Pastor Bus may he Rest In Peace.
Just wanted to say once more how much I miss Pastor Buss. His great blessings to me were from our Lord. May our Lord keep his family in prayer always. In Christ, Pastor John Kiefer