Obituary: Gary ‘Buzz’ Busby
Provided Photo
April 15, 1958 – March 7, 2022
On Monday March 7th our valley lost a unique, kind, and loving soul. Gary Busby, or ‘Buzz’ as he was known here in the valley, moved to our community in 1981, moving from Mitchell, Illinois. Buzz had many roles in our valley, but his biggest impact was at the Coyote Café where he started working in January of 2000, quickly becoming a Beaver Creek institution.
As described by the Coyote’s owner Jeff Forbes, Buzz had a true gift for customer service. With his brilliant and subtle sense of humor he made everything more fun, always coming up with new ideas. From Karaoke in a cutout VW Bug, to the Bill Clinton mannequin in a whitewater kayak, to décor and menu ideas, to his special talent for new recipes, Buzz’s innovative mind raced from one idea to the next.
Buzz was always ready to help anyone and everyone. He was appreciated by customers, wait staff, and the kitchen. With the business or when anyone just needed someone to talk to, Buzz was there. He always put other people first.
In the early 2000’s Buzz adopted Lucy, an Aussie cattle dog puppy who became the love of his life. The two were inseparable, taking walks around Nottingham Lake, camping up Homestake Creek, hanging at the Coyote in the off season, and on road trips to Utah’s Red Rock Country.
In this theme of devoted kindness and love for other people, Buzz’s life took a radical turn last spring when his beloved brother, Jerry ‘J-Dub’ Busby (also a Beaver Creek institution) sustained a traumatic brain injury in a terrible car accident. Buzz hardly left the hospital over the ensuing months, and when J-Dub was able to come home, Buzz became his roommate and constant companion.
In the New Testament book of John Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this- to lay one’s life down for your friend.” This was Buzz. As a local pastor who met Buzz after his brother’s accident, I was deeply privileged and blessed to become friends with this kind, quiet, loving, and faithful man. He impacted me deeply in a matter of months, just as he impacted our entire community deeply over the past 40 years. Buzz, our lives were made better by your presence, and you will be greatly missed.
Buzz is survived by his brother Jerry, his wonderful sister Christine Cook, his nephew Kerry Haps, nephews Sean and Ryan Cook, his niece Brittni Nonn, many great nieces and nephews, and even more dear friends.
