Kenneth Raymond Busch, 92, formerly of Luverne, died Friday, Sept. 23, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Village in Loveland, Colorado.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m., all at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial with military honors will follow at Prairie Hill Cemetery in Fulda.
Kenneth Busch was born Sept. 28, 1923, to Leonard and Matilda (Dierks) Busch on the family farm in Nobles County near Fulda. He was baptized Oct. 21, 1923, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fulda. He was raised on the family farm and attended school in Fulda. He was confirmed March 21, 1937, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fulda, and he graduated from Fulda High School in 1941. He helped on the family farm until he was drafted into the United States Army on April 28, 1943. He was honorably discharged on March 4, 1946.
On July 26, 1946, he married Verna Bartels at St. John Lutheran Church in Trosky. The couple resided in Hardwick. Kenneth worked as a mechanic for Van Brothers in Hardwick for three years and then became the postmaster at the U.S. Post Office in Hardwick from 1949 until he retired in 1979. In 1979 the couple moved to Luverne and later to Worthington from 1981 to 1986, and Fulda from 1986 to 2002. The couple moved back to Luverne in 2002. In July of 2009, because of their health, they moved to Loveland, Colorado, to be closer to family. Verna died June 20, 2016.
Kenneth was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. While he was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Hardwick, he held various church offices with local, zone and state. He served as an elder and president of the congregation, Bible class teacher, and he belonged to Lutheran Laymen’s League. He was a 30-year member of the Hardwick Fire Department, where he held various offices. He belonged to the VFW, American Legion, Hardwick Commercial Club and the Hardwick PTA.
Ken enjoyed woodworking, gardening, crafts, and traveling throughout the United States, Europe, Alaska and Hawaii. He and his wife enjoyed winters in Arizona. Most of all he enjoyed the time spent with his family.
Kenneth is survived by a daughter, Barbara (Gaylord) De Groot, Andover; a son, David (Kathy) Busch, Loveland, Colorado; seven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Verna; his parents, Leonard and Matilda; a great-granddaughter, Kaylie Dickerson; six sisters, Ida, Julia, Amelia, Elsie, Martha, and Esther; and two brothers, George and Clarence.
Arrangements were by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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