Fr. David Gerald Buss

The services for the blessed repose of the soul of Fr. David Gerald Buss are as follows:

Great Compline and Trisagion – Tuesday March 3, 6 pm, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Chapel, 2508 Kavanaugh Road, Ruston, LA

Presanctified Liturgy and Funeral – Wednesday March 4, 10 am, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Chapel, Ruston, LA

Burial service – Wednesday March 4, immediately following the funeral, Mulhearn Memorial Park, Monroe LA

All services officiated by Rev. Fr. Ioannis Krokos and Very Rev. Fr. Nabil Hanna.

A luminous being has fallen asleep in the Lord. The man we know as Fr. David Gerald Buss was born on July 20, 1937 in St. Louis, MO, to Lillian Blattner Buss and Clarence A. Buss. His family moved to Shreveport in 1946, and while Fr. David lived and served all over, St. Louis marked a place in his heart forever, and Shreveport remained home in his mind. His educational and vocational path took him to Maryhill Diocesan Minor Seminary (Alexandria/Pineville), Notre Dame Seminary (New Orleans), Centre Lumen Vitae (Brussels), Centenary College (Shreveport), Loyola University (New Orleans), and the completion of his seminary training at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA.

Fr. David was ordained a priest in the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America by Metropolitan Antony Bashir, of thrice-blessed memory, in New York in 1965. He served parishes in that Archdiocese for 13 years - St. George in Phoenix, AZ, St. George in Portland, OR, and St. Mary in Cambridge, MA. Ever the devoted son, Fr. David returned home in 1978 to help his parents after his father’s heart attack; he moved to Monroe, ostensibly temporarily, to save the local arm of the family business, Monroe Linen. However, Gus Antis, representing Monroe’s Orthodox population, was determined to secure Fr. David as the pastor for the then pastor-less Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Fr. David dutifully administered the family business until his father’s passing in 1989, and transferred to the Greek Orthodox jurisdiction to become the pastor of the church here. For 22 years, Fr. David ministered to this community, and for everyone who let him into their hearts, he changed them through his wisdom, his energy, and his love for God and all His Creation.

His erudition, love for languages, strength of character, and natural tendencies to guide and instruct were immediately apparent to anyone who ever met Fr. David. He had the heart of theologian, the mind of a philosopher, and the soul of a poet. But most important was the generosity of Fr. David’s spirit, which manifested itself in his ceaseless efforts in pointing us all toward God. But he wanted his flock to come to it on their own; in his own words:

During most of my ministry, I encouraged those around me to be independent, to think critically, and most important, I challenged myself and others to look and to see if we could discern in ourselves, our families and friends, our neighbors and colleagues, strangers and enemies, and all living beings, what the Apostle Paul affirmed to be the case, namely, that "we are His poem."

Fr. David joined his Creator on February 26, 2020. He was predeceased by his parents, Lillian and Clarence Buss, his sister, Claudette Buss Tennyson, his brother, Thomas E. Buss, and the grandparents, aunts, and uncles who meant so much to him. Fr. David counted among his God-sent Friends the late Levasseur “Bubba” Howard, Madelain Farah, and Gus W. Antis. Fr David was also preceded in death by his spiritual father, the Very Rev. Fr. John Karataeff, whose life, in Fr. David’s words, was “one continuous lesson in humility”. Finally, Fr. David gave special thanks to God for the puppies who have gone before him with whose care he was entrusted – Andrew, Philodora, Daisy, and Wiggles, his “best bud” and most devoted companion.

Among the survivors are his aunt Jeanette Blattner Troupis, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a large spiritual family. Fr. David is also survived by his beloved spiritual son, the Very Rev. Fr. Nabil Hanna, who is, at Fr. David’s request, one of the officiants of the last rites. For many years, Joseph Mansour and Fr. David tended to each other’s health and spiritual needs, and several years ago, Fr. David added a legal dimension to the reality of their relationship by legally adopting Joe, such that Joe was an orphan no longer, until now. And of course, everyone who knows that Linus, his faithful canine companion, was always at his side. Linus, like all of us, misses him terribly.

Pallbearers will be Andrian Antis, Gus Antis, Dr. Ab Elias, Dee Keltner, Dr. Rick LeFebvre, and Thomas Varytimidis. Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Rodakis and Dr. Dean Stockstill.

Special thanks also to our dear friend Dr. Jo Ann Alley for her guidance during this difficult time, and to Deanne Keltner and Angel McLemore for the music from their hearts and the friendship that we shared.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to SOS Pets of Ouachita, http://www.sospetsofouachita.org/, or PAWS of NELA, http://www.pawsnela.org/.

Online condolences may be posted at www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com

Thank you for everything Baba. May your memory be eternal.