"Jill, Jerry and Steve and families - So many memories of staying with Jill on the farm many years ago! Plus knowing how much my Dad enjoyed spending time with Virtes and sometimes Jerry cutting wood! May you all find comfort in your own wonderful memories of your parents, who are now together again. Love, Diane & Al Musser"
In loving memory of
Virtes Henry Busch
May 4, 1924 - March 20, 2016
Virtes Henry Busch, 91, of Maquoketa, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at Maquoketa Care Center.
A celebration of Virtes' life will be held 10 A.M., Thursday, March 24, 2016, at the First Lutheran Church in Maquoketa. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at the Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa. Burial will be at the Mount Hope Cemetery, Maquoketa, with military honors.
Virtes H. Busch was born in Jackson County, Iowa, south of Baldwin to John C.A. and Caroline (Kokemuller) Busch on May 4, 1924.
He graduated from Elwood High school in 1943. He served in the Navy Seabees from Aug. 1943-1946 in Hawaii. After an Honorable Discharge, he went to work for Bell Telephone five years in Marion, Iowa.
Virtes married Donna Faye Merrick on Jun. 6, 1948 at First Lutheran Church, Maquoketa. They moved to the third generation family farm in the fall of 1951 where he farmed until Jan. 7, 1980. He later worked as carpenter.
Virtes enjoyed family time with children and grandchildren. He loved fishing, gardening, working in the yard and wood working. He also enjoyed the Dizzy Dozen Card Club and playing Dominos.
Virtes is survived by two sons, Steven (Judy) Busch of Portland, OR, and Jerry (Sheila) Busch of DeWitt, IA; and one daughter, Jill (Jan) Young of Flowery Branch, GA; a brother Orben (Dorothy) Busch of Davenport, IA and a sister Darlene Small of Maquoketa, IA, a sister-in-law, Eilene Busch of Maquoketa, IA; 6 Grandchildren, Jonathan (Christine) Busch of Del Rio, TX, Joshua Busch of Vancouver, WA, Jeremy (Amanda) Busch of Brooklyn, NY; Britt (Amy) Busch of Des Moines, IA, Julie Busch of DeWitt, IA, Jessica (Daniel) LeMon of Buford, GA; 8 Great Grandchildren, Elijah and Hannah Busch, Carlie McPherson, Theo Busch, Jaxon Young, Lillian, Julianna, and Charlotte LeMon; nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a special friend Thelma Nissen. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, a brother Emmett, two sisters Leona Westphal and Irene Wyatt, and two Grandsons Jeff Young and Gerad Michael Busch.
The family would like to thank Maquoketa Care Center for all the kind and compassionate care given to Dad his last two months of life.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be given to First Lutheran Church of Maquoketa.
Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.
Tributes
"The Busch family, Valerie and I extend our thoughts to you all during this time. Virtus and Donna were patients of ours for many years and we particularly enjoyed dad's stories and that persistant smile. We've been gone from Maquoketa for nearly two years but the years we spent with Virtus were truly memorable. Our thoughts and prayers to you all in the days ahead."
"We really enjoyed working with Virtes. He was such a nice man, and we will miss him. (From all of us at Nissen-Caven Agency)"