Michele Louise Buche

The daughter of Charles Burnison and Bonnie Louise Akers Stuck, she was born in Leon, Iowa, on July 27, 1958.

Michele enjoyed participating in F.F.A. and sports at Grand Valley Consolidated High School, and in 1976, she graduated as class valedictorian. She then received a bachelor’s degree in home economics from Iowa State University, a bachelor’s degree in English education from Missouri State University, and a master’s degree in English with a specialty in gifted education from the University of Kansas.

She began her teaching career in Springfield, Missouri, continued teaching in Liberty, Missouri, and Prairie Village, Kansas, and retired from Blue Valley North High School in Leawood, Kansas.

Michele married the love of her life, Steve Buche, on July 18, 2009.

Her parents preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Steve; her brother Michael Stuck; her sister Karen and husband Michael Mortensen; her sister Nicole Stuck; her nephew Max Stuck and wife Courtney; her niece Alex Lamaak and husband Matthew; and her great nieces and nephews Joel, Rory, and Eben, as well as many uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Michele’s passion for teaching has left an inspirational legacy. Because so many of her students became National Merit and Presidential Scholars, she helped Blue Valley North to receive national recognition for excellence in education. Even in retirement, she continued to mentor students by advising them, proofreading their essays, and visiting them at university. Her students made a point of keeping in touch with her long after they had finished their college education.

Michele excelled in everything she did—decorating an elegant country home and landscaping the prairie meadow that surrounded it, cooking gourmet meals, creating an exquisite perennial garden, playing tennis, sewing stylish clothing, and pampering her Siamese cats. She and Steve loved setting out for exciting new adventures in their travel trailer. She was a devout Christian and regularly attended and generously supported Lenexa Baptist Church.

As she underwent treatment for ovarian and finally pancreatic cancer, Michele exemplified courage and grace. Her joy and enthusiasm for life even in the most difficult circumstances made a profoundly positive impact on everyone who knew her.

Visitation will be at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and also at 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, September 4, 2025. Her funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. and will be live streamed (link below).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blue Valley Educational Fund.