With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend, Lee Busse.
Predeceased by his father, Leo (1977), mother, Albertina (1987) and wife, Tina (2017). He is survived by his sister, Eleanor, children Laura-Lee (Ted), Richard (Rina), Teresa (Brad), grandchildren, Carmen, Lorne (Samantha), Sofia, Olivia, Sebastian, Emma, Ariana (Stuart), Willis, Christian, and great granddaughters, Eloise and Etta.
Lee was born July 15th, 1929, in Edmonton in the year of the stock market crash and the start of the Great Depression, two events that significantly impacted his family’s struggles to make ends meet. The family lived on the farm in Belmont raising cattle and growing potatoes.
He attended Belmont Elementary School where he completed his primary education in a single classroom with students from grades one to seven. He graduated from Victoria High School in Edmonton, and finally, enrolled at the University of Alberta attaining a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.
Following his life long dream of moving to the Pacific Coast to be close to salmon fishing and skiing, Dad relocated to Vancouver to start his dental practice in 1954. New to the Vancouver social scene, this busy single dentist met Tina Lauro, a successful East Vancouver hairdresser with her ‘perfect’ smile. As Lee was introduced to the Italian way of life through Tina, the romantic sparks flew culminating in their marriage in 1955. They went on to settle in Burnaby, where they raised their three children.
Lee always believed in the importance of giving back to his profession and the community he served. He was President of the Vancouver East Lions Club, dedicated to raising funds for charitable causes. He was a Director on the Board of the Vancouver & District Dental Society, serving as President in 1984-85. He was also a long-term member of the VDDS Peer Assistance Committee. He was a Council member on the board of the College Dental Surgeons of British Columbia. Later, in 1999-2000 he served on the Implementation Team tasked with establishing the British Columbia Dental Association. More recently, Dad was very proud to have made a donation to help fund a much-needed MRI unit at Burnaby General Hospital.
Lee leaves behind countless dear family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He lived life to the fullest including skiing until age 91. If he wasn’t cutting fresh tracks at Whistler, landing his latest salmon catch, or enjoying a round of golf with his pals at Mission Golf Club, Dad kept active until very recently.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Ken Appleby for the many years of outstanding medical care given Lee, his caregivers Stella and Lucy who provided steadfast homecare in the last year and a half, and finally, the wonderful staff at Royal Columbian Hospital. We are eternally grateful.
Funeral Service will be held on Friday, January 6th, at 11 a.m. at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 701 6th St., New Westminster.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Canada.