Edward Eugene Busch was born on April 11, 1931 in San Diego, California, to Leonard and Esther Busch. He was President of his Senior Class at Grossmont High School in La Mesa, California, and graduated in 1949. He once said that he knew at the early age of 13 that his life’s work was to serve in ministry to Jesus Christ, and he went on to attend St. John’s College in Winfield, Kansas, followed by 5 years at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received his Masters of Divinity, (and was also President of his class there).
It was in St. Louis where he met Dona Jean “Dobie” Dobelstein on a blind date, who was doing her nurse’s training there. They married 11 months later and were happily married for 47 years, until Dobie passed in 2002.
Throughout his ministerial career, Edward served as pastor at churches in Crawfordsville and Greencastle, Indiana, as well as churches in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado. He and Dobie moved their family to California in 1967, where he studied at the Claremont School of Theology and received his PhD in 1973. He served as pastor at Hope Lutheran, Glendora and Our Saviour Lutheran, La Verne (now called Rock of the Foothills). Before retiring in 2000, he served as Chaplain at Solheim Lutheran Home in Eagle Rock, California for 10 years. Post retirement, Edward was Interim pastor at Salem Lutheran in Glendale, as well as churches in North Hollywood, Canyon Country and Chatsworth. He also taught courses at Fuller Seminary and the Center for Theological Studies at Cal Lutheran.
Pastor Busch was a wonderful teacher - his sermons were wise, inspired, humorous and always focused on the grace of Jesus Christ. He was a gifted counselor – giving comfort to those struggling with life’s most difficult circumstances, and lifting people up who had trouble seeing the grace he spoke about in the pulpit. He baptized thousands, married hundreds, confirmed students in multiple instruction classes over the course of many years, buried a good number of believers, and loved every single person he met. He took the calling he heard at the age of 13 very seriously, and devoted his life in service to God and to others.
Because of his faithfulness, God was, in turn, faithful to Edward, and after a short and aggressive bout of cancer, with the members of his family with him, and listening to many of the songs that will be sung at his memorial service, he took a final breath and finally rested peacefully, and went to be with His Lord on February 9, 2019.
He is survived by his daughter, Christine, his son John, daughter-in-law Joan, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Together, with extended family and friends and admirers all over the country, we celebrate the life, death and resurrection in Christ Jesus of Edward Busch.
Offerings in memory of Edward Busch are encouraged to be given for God’s work at:
Camp Lutherhoma, PO Box 1672, Tahlequah, OK 74465
On line donations to Camp Lutherhoma at www.lutherhoma.com/Support/index.php
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