BUSCH, WILLIAM J DEAN, HAL M GLAZINER, JAMES DAVID KRAINOFF, JOANNE ADAM LEAVITT, CHARLES
WILLIAM J BUSCH
Dr. William J. (Bill) Busch passed away peacefully on December 21, 2020 in Meridian, Idaho. He was 86. Bill came to town at the age of two, when his parents, arriving in Los Angeles from Connecticut, turned around and headed back to the sunshine in Las Vegas. He grew up on South Main Street in downtown Las Vegas and attended the Fifth Street Grammar School and Las Vegas High School. In high school he participated in student government, academic clubs and sports, but is best remembered for being on the relay team that set a state track and field record in 1953. Bill attended Brigham Young University, where he met and married the love of his life, Pearl Bernadot. December 21st was their 65th wedding anniversary. After college, Bill and Pearl lived in Los Angeles where Bill attended and graduated from the USC School of Dentistry. He opened his own office on East Charleston Blvd., but soon was commuting to Loma Linda University studying periodontics, eventually establishing his practice on East Sahara Ave. His skill and reputation for treating his patients with compassion was well known in the dental community. Bill had enormous energy and many interests and talents. First and foremost, he was a family man, passing on his love of sport and activity to his children. Most weekends in the summer were spent on Lake Mead; in the winter skiing at Lee Canyon or Brian Head were the activities. The children were all active in high school, whether competing in swimming and skiing, marching in the high school band or cheer leading.
Bill himself was an active runner and skier until his late 70’s. Bill was gregarious and fun loving, ever ready with a good story or joke. He was active in the community, both through Rotary and as a member of the State Board of Dental Examiners, serving as its Executive Director following his retirement. After the children were grown, Pearl and Bill traveled together, to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Bill also worked on humanitarian projects in Europe and the Americas. He was passionate about his hobbies and never slowed following retirement. Working on the restoration of his beloved 1963 red Porsche (License: Y55MPH) kept him busy at home. His love of water color painting accompanied him on many travels throughout the West, and he was honored to have his work included in exhibitions of the Nevada Watercolor Society. Bill is survived by his wife, Pearl; their five children: Cathy (Michael) Buckley, Laura (Laurent) Vonderveidt, Jeri (Chris) Hagen, Ned (Ann) and John; and eleven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Burial and services are private. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Bill’s memory to the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation. Lasvegasrotary.com No services scheduled.