Christopher Troy Buss was born on Oct. 3, 1968, in Vallejo, Calif., to Larry and Bunny Buss. He went by the name of Troy. He passed away on April 16, 2023, at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Neb., from a tragic accident resulting in severe head injury. Troy was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and was devoted to serving God and his fellow man throughout his life. He lived in Vallejo, Calif. until the Fall of 1970, when the family moved to Missouri Valley. He remained living in Missouri Valley where he attended school until early 1977, when he and his family moved to the farm just west of Logan where he grew to adulthood and his parents still reside. Troy attended the Logan-Magnolia school system where he graduated from high school in May of 1987. He continued his education at Dana College in Blair, Neb. where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication and Organization Management in 1991. He found this degree to be of high use during his adult years of business management. Except for his early life in Vallejo and his college years at Dana, he lived his entire life in Harrison County.
Troy had a natural athletic ability. While in grade school, he competed in what was called “Punt, Pass, and Kick” that was sponsored nationally by Ford Motor Company. He always won the competition locally and was extremely competitive when he moved on to higher levels of competition. During his school years at LOMA, he was engaged in wrestling, baseball and football. Troy was known during his wrestling years as “the pinner”. Because of his strength, he would simply grab hold of his opponents, throw them to the mat and pin them. At youth wrestling events, his parents and fans would wait for seemingly hours to watch Troy compete only to see the match done in a minute or two. During high school, he competed in wrestling at the State level. Due to his football skills, he received a scholarship to play football for Dana College and was a key player for the Dana Vikings where he played fullback, was the kicker and the punter. He achieved “All American” status during those years. Post college and due to his superb punting ability, he was in high competition for a position to play football in the National Football League as a punter.
Troy was an active participant in the family farming operation from a very early age. He began his field “tractor driving career” by doing tillage work and hauling grain from the combine to the grain bin site. By the time he reached his teen years, he was more experienced in farm operations than many people twice his age. His father relied on him heavily to help grow the farm operation and farm business. During his “formative” years, Troy developed a very strong work ethic that would characterize him throughout his adult life. He was admired by many for that ethic. For Troy, what many would call work he called fun because he enjoyed it and was committed to high levels of achievement. Troy always displayed a high level of confidence in his ability to do anything that he viewed as worthwhile.
Troy was also employed during summer months in his high school and early college years by Garst Seed Corn Company in that company’s seed corn operation. It was during that employment that Troy met the love of his life, Sharon Marie Weis of Woodbine. That love grew to their marriage in Portsmouth on Aug. 15, 1992. They were blessed with two wonderful children: Jordan William and Jessica Marie. Troy and Sharon first lived as a married couple on a farm west of Modale until moving to their present home east of Missouri Valley in 1996. Troy loved to fish and hunt. During his youth years around Logan, he was often found fishing along the Boyer River and farm ponds with many of his friends. He was part of the ‘mo-ped riders’ during those years.
Troy loved animals, feeding them and raising them, which led to his and Sharon’s investment of time and funds to feed cattle and raise bucket calves. He would become so attached emotionally to his feeder cattle that he had a hard time taking them to market.
During his adult life he was focused on the family business which was initially row crop farming. However, always looking to advance and achieve more, Troy started from zero the now highly successful business in Missouri Valley of changing raw limestone into pelletized limestone for sale as an essential component of a well-balanced soil fertilizer program. That business was entirely “Troy’s baby”, and he is credited with the high level of success creating a valuable product for sale as well as employment for many over the years.
Troy was very focused on improving the lives of others by helping all in any way he could, he even served for a while as a member of the Missouri Valley Fire Department. He constantly lived the concept of giving someone else the shirt off his back if he thought that would provide the help they could use to improve their lives. Troy was especially focused on kids. Probably for that reason, he became heavily involved in the Greater Missouri Valley area with an international organization called Kiwanis. At the time of his death, he was serving his third year as President of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Missouri Valley which due to his leadership, guidance and commitment is the most robust Kiwanis club in the entire Nebraska/Iowa Kiwanis District.
Troy was a very loving, family focused person. He continually said, “I love you”. Troy thoroughly enjoyed working the family farming and pelletizing business with his wife, father, mother, brother, sister-in-law and son.
A lifelong dream of Troy’s was to own a home on a fishing lake to catch Northern Pike and to own Iowa farmland to farm with Sharon and Jordan. He accomplished both when they purchased a home on Ten Mile Lake in Minnesota and farmland east of Missouri Valley.
As a final tribute to his lifelong commitment to helping others, with tears of sorrow from all those who knew and loved him, he has given tears of joy to multiple families across the United States by the donation of his vital organs to again help those in need of a new and better life. With his own life cut way too short, Troy will live on for decades through the recipients of his organs. He will be missed so much by not only his family but the entire community within which he lived!
Troy was preceded in death by his grandparents. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Buss of Missouri Valley; son, Jordan Buss (Courtney Erixon) of Missouri Valley; daughter, Jessica Buss (Jack Pfeifer) of Omaha, Neb.; parents, Larry and Bunny Buss of Logan; brother, Jason (Jennifer) Buss of Modale; parents-in-law, Robert and Mary Weis of Woodbine; brother-in-law, Richard (Jennifer) Weis of Fremont, Neb.; niece, Stephanie Larsen of Fremont; nephew, Brandon Weis (Morgan Shumake) of Missouri Valley; and many other relatives and friends.
A funeral service was held at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Missouri Valley on Friday, April 21, 2023. The officiants were Rev. Raphael Masabakwa, Rev. Joel McNeil, Rev. Daniel Steeb and Deacon Michael Carney. The musicians were Lyle Waterhouse and Denny Alvis. The honorary pallbearers were Harold Bertelsen, Heath Bertelsen, Marcus Bolte, Justin Boyd, Mike Jones, Andrew Pitt, Jon Pitt, Myron Renz, Kevin Russman, Mike Smiley, Bob Wagner and Tylor Wagnor. The pallbearers were Phil Benson, Brad Frazier, Doug Maguire, Mark Mathia, Joe Staska and Scott Wagner. Troy’s final resting place is at the Calhoun Cemetery.
Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine was in charge of arrangements. www.foutsfuneralhome.com
