James Busse

Memorial services for James E. Busse, 66, of Perry, KS, will be held at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.  Mr. Busse died Thursday, April 12, 2012 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he had been transported for emergency treatment of a previously undetected medical condition.
Jim was born September 27, 1945 in Harrisonville, MO, the son of James D. and Irene Virgina (Larkins) Busse.  He was later the adult stepson of Ernest Korb of Tonganoxie, KS. Jim was a lifelong resident of the Lawrence area, and attended Lawrence public schools from kindergarten through KU.

Survivors include his wife, Megan Gannon; children, Erica Farmer and her husband, Marc Whitacre, Havre, MT; Robert Busse and his wife Sarah Busse, Lawrence, KS, and Bond Martin Lebanon, MO; eight grandchildren, Grant, Marc, Victor, Jamie, Matthew, Emmy, Corwin, and Rachel; one sister, Mary E. Wadley, Hotchkiss, CO

Photography was a major passion in Jim’s life, and he was an award-winning photographer from a young age. Taking pictures was an important part of his career, from his military service with the U.S. Army during the Viet Nam conflict to assisting with the publication of books and magazines (including a cover photo for Nature). At the time of his death, Jim was continuing to combine photography with other skills as a graphic technician with the KU Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis.

One of Jim’s friends has described him as “a genius who loved the way the universe is interconnected in a way most of us don’t comprehend. Jim was always sharp, good-natured, and detail-oriented, whether he was creating something complex or just changing a car tire. The world was a better place because he was here.”

Memorial contributions may be made to the “James E. Busse Memorial Fund,” care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.