Buss, Fay E. 1923-2017

BUSS, LONNEE, OXLEY

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/3/2017 at 15:25:21

LeMars Daily Sentinel
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Fay Eleanor Lonnee Buss, 94, of Le Mars, died Tuesday, April 18, 2017, at Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen.

Fay Eleanor Lonnee was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada on April 2, 1923 to Noble and Grace (Oxley) Lonnee. After graduating from high school, Fay attended the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, where she earned a B.S. in Nursing.

After graduating, Fay went to work at Cook County Hospital in Chicago where she was an operating room supervisor. While there, she began post graduate work in operating room technique. After leaving Chicago, Fay worked in hospitals in Peoria, Omaha and Sioux City.

While working in Sioux City, Fay met her future husband, Earl Buss. They married on Sept. 3, 1952 in Onawa, Iowa. Living on the family farm north of Le Mars, Fay and Earl raised their four children. Fay began working at Sacred Heart Hospital in Le Mars as a private duty nurse in the 1960s and later became a nursing supervisor on the 3-11 shift at Floyd Valley Hospital.

Fay always had many fond memories of growing up in Windsor with her brother and sister, playing hockey and ice skating.

Nursing was her passion, however, and was the reason she came to the United States. She did not feel patients got the best care under Canada’s socialized medicine program. She enjoyed every one of her many years of nursing. After 54 years of marriage, Earl died in 2007. Fay remained on the farm until 2014.

Fay was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Le Mars for many years. She presented the “Happy Bear Program” on child abuse for several years in many communities. She was a member of the retired RN Association in Le Mars and PACT (Parents And Children Together).

Fay is survived by her four children: Tom (Beth) Buss of Emmetsburg; Doug (Marleen) Buss of Emmetsburg; Curt (Renae) Buss of Le Mars, and Wendy (Sid) Niccum of Clear Lake; seven grandchildren: Carrie (Matt) Naig of Pella; Nicole (Jon) Mendieta of Altoona; Rory (Souvanah) Niccum of Glenburn, North Dakota; Brennan (Selia) Buss of Ames; Koster Buss of Ames; Silas Buss of Le Mars, and Dacia Buss of Le Mars; four great-grandchildren: Madison and Luke Naig and Thiago and Yvette Mendieta; her brother-in-law: Don Stiers of Warren, Michigan; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Earl Buss; her brother, Mac “Sonny” Lonnee; her sister, Donna Stiers; and her granddaughter, Darbi Lou Buss.

Memorial Services will be 11 a.m., Friday at Rexwinkel-Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars. The Rev. Chris Meier of St. John’s Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A. in Le Mars will officiate. Inurnment will follow in Resthaven Memory Gardens in Le Mars. Visitation with the family present will be from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home and following the graveside service during a time of lunch and fellowship at the funeral home.