Gerry Dean Busiahn

Gerry Dean Busiahn, age 53 of Wood Lake passed away at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Sunday, December 13, 2009. 

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16 at St. John Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls. 

Visitation will be held 4:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Vesta, with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church in Redwood Falls on Wednesday.  Private family interment will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Redwood Area Hospice, or the St. John Lutheran School Building Fund in Redwood Falls.   The Redwood Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Gerry Dean Busiahn was born on June 22, 1956 in Granite Falls, Minnesota to Ardine and Helen (Timm) Busiahn.  He was baptized on July 8th, 1956 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake, and confirmed on March 22, 1970 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. He attended school at St. John’s Lutheran School in Wood Lake, St. Luke’s Lutheran School in Posen Township, Wood Lake High School, and graduated from Montevideo High School in 1974.  Gerry continued his education at the U of M in Waseca and Southwest State University in Marshall.  He was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Vesta, serving as an elder, trustee, and secretary. There he participated in the church choir and was a Sunday School teacher.  Gerry also served on the St. John’s Farm Committee and St. John Lutheran School Board.  He was a Wood Lake First Responder, and was on the Vesta Farmers Elevator Board.  Gerry enjoyed golfing, riding motorcycle, telling jokes, and Karaoke.  He loved spending time with his family and friends, and enjoyed doing home repair and construction.  Gerry’s true loves were his God, his girls, and working on his farm.

Gerry is survived by his wife Mary Ellen Busiahn; daughters Laura, Lydia, Veronica, and Julia Busiahn; and siblings: Lonna Kassuelke, Richard Busiahn, Rachel Seifert, Ruth Reynolds, Janice Tonn, and Roger Busiahn.  He is preceded in death by his grandparents: Harry and Marie Timm and Emil and Augusta Busiahn; parents Ardine Busiahn and Helen Busiahn Prechel; stepfather Melvin Prechel; brother-in-law Gary Reynolds; and great-nephew Derek Preuss.