He was born August 10, 1959, at the hospital in New Prague, MN and passed away in the early morning hours on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at his home after a 18 month battle with pancreatic cancer. Gregg Busch was the eldest son of Roger & Mamie (Stehlik) Busch. He had three younger brothers, Tom, Pete, and Brad.
Growing up in Jordan was first-rate. Gregg and his brothers played games of baseball and football in their backyard and in the back yards of several neighborhood friends. Never-ending games, trading baseball, football and Batman cards and just 100% kid fun with Ron & Russ Beckman, Joe, Pete, Tom & Gilly Buss, Tom, Dave & Joe Dean, Craig Leibbrand, even the Dean and Hartman girls. Many of these childhood friends are his lifelong friends to this day. It was in those early years that he inherited his dad’s nickname, Rotz.
His schooling in Jordan included St. John’s Parochial School (1965-69), Jordan Elementary (1969-71) and graduating from Jordan High June 3, 1977. He then went on to college at Mankato State University and graduated Dec. 11, 1981, with degrees in Mass Communication (Journalism) and History.
He was lucky to have several great jobs in his lifetime and was employed by many outstanding people and businesses. In the summer months of 1976-1979, Gregg worked for Schommer Painting & Decorating under the watchful eyes of Mark Schommer, Ed Breimhorst & Albie Breimhorst. In the summer of 1980, Gregg did his internship for his journalism degree at the Belle Plaine Herald for Ed Townsend. From June 1981 to Oct. 1999, Gregg worked for Jordan Beverage, Inc. for Chuck Schwen & Larry Engelke. There Gregg developed many life-long friendships with co-workers, John Betchwars, Steve Betchwars, Les Buesgens, Andy Buesgens, Rich Mornson, Steve Eischens, Lee Kes, Sandy Laughridge, Larry Weckman & Diane Weckman. From there, Gregg worked at W.W. Will & Sons, Inc. from Jan. 2000 to November 2021. He had great bosses in Warren & Barb Will, Jeff Will and Tim & Donna Will. He also worked with good people like Fred Prchal, Greg Geise & Tim Busch.
Gregg also did sideline writing for the Jordan Independent from his high school days through the late 1990s for editors Keith Thaves, Mary Jo Mosher, Paul Sunder, Char Koepp, Barb Tieben and Mathias Baden.
Sports have always been a big part of Gregg’s life. While in high school, he participated in football, basketball and baseball earning two varsity letters in each sport. He was a two-year starter in football making 124 tackles in his career along with recovering three fumbles and scoring two touchdowns. Gregg didn’t play a lot of basketball but did help the team to two winning seasons with an overall record of 27 wins and 15 losses. His best sport was baseball. He started two seasons as an outfielder and pitcher. His career stats show 38 games played. He went .290 (29-100), scored 19 runs, 20 RBI and 12 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he had a 4-3 record with 25 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched with a 3.10 ERA. He helped the Hubmen win the 1976 MRC baseball title and was named MRC honorable mention all-conference in 1976.
From 1978-1982, Gregg played with the Jordan Brewers. In his career, he played in 100 games, batted .231 with 61 hits, scored 37 runs, had 14 doubles, 33 RBI and 18 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he was 5-12 in 26 games. He threw 158 innings, striking out 42 batters and had a 3.89 ERA. One of his biggest regrets was quitting the team the year they won the state championship.
Gregg found his passion for long-distance running in 1991. While thumbing through some old Jordan Independent issues he discovered that Rollie Sunder ran the 1990 Jordan Run of the Mill 5K (3.1miles) at the age 65. Gregg figured if Rollie can do it at 65, then he should be able to run that distance at the age of 32. Gregg’s participation in the 1991 Run of the Mill 5K triggered an interest in long-distance running and was a catalyst to the start of his extensive list of road races around the country. In his 31-year running career, Gregg ran over 28,000 miles (easily once around the world). He took part in 845 road races including 36 half-marathons (13.1 miles) and 61 full marathons (26.2 miles) in 31 different states.
Although he never qualified for the famed Boston Marathon, Gregg competed in many top marathons including Twin Cities (8 times), Grandma’s, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Rochester as well as marathons in Seattle, New Orleans, Cleveland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Miami, St. Louis, Nashville, San Diego, Las Vegas, Louisville, Portland and Salt Lake City.
Through running, Gregg developed many long-lasting friendships. He ran several marathons with his brother, Pete. He also became life-long friends with Dick Olson, who served as a running mentor to Gregg.
Writing was another passion of Gregg’s. During high school he wrote football and basketball articles for the JI while also an athlete in both sports. He expanded his list of sports in the 1980’s with the addition of volleyball, baseball and track & field. In Sept of 1992, Gregg and Ron Beckman started the “Sports N Stuff” column which focused on local sporting events and features about athletes with a Jordan connection. Gregg always said “you gotta get names in the paper”. Ron left the column in Nov. 1996 and Gregg continued as a solo writer until Nov. 22, 2007. Gregg’s VAST collection of information and statistics for Jordan and all MN sports is one of a kind and helped him with all his amazing articles.
He read the Star Tribune daily and completed the sudoku, cryptoquip and crossword puzzle. Rotz loved to read mainly books pertaining to history, space and of course sports but he would read anything that he received as a gift (even “A Walk in the Woods” 3 times). He had 8-10 books by his bed and usually read a chapter a day in each. Gregg’s other interests included music (from classic Hard Rock to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), Seinfeld, M*A*S*H, The Andy Griffith Show, NASCAR, Gopher sporting events, attending Twins, Viking, Wild, Timberwolves as a season ticket holder with family and a circle of friends that include Jim Bastyr, John Breunig and Gary Kalal to name a few. He was also on the “chain-gang” for Hubmen football games for nearly 20 years with Al Busch, Ron Beckman & Brad Heitkamp.
Gregg received the Jordan High School Outstanding Contributor to JHS athletics for his writing talents twice in 1983 & again in 2000. He was also heavily involved in the newly created Jordan High School Activities and Athletics Hall of Fame which began in 2019. His vast knowledge and books of stats helped the whole committee on their research.
Gregg always said that he was missing something in his life, however, that changed in September of 2004 when he met Connie Crimi and her family. Their many antics created many more adventures for him. Connie and Gregg completed over 150 5k races together, including a half-marathon. She traveled with Gregg to cheer him on in his marathon races; he attended her children’s college basketball games, and they attended many sporting events and concerts together. The addition of 7 grandbabies (all girls) added a little more madness to the mix. Their last trips were to the Grand Canyon and Ashville, NC to visit family. While she supported him, he also supported her through life’s ups and downs.
Family was a cornerstone of Gregg’s life. His dad died at the very young age of 42. His extended family (11 aunts & uncles as well as 34 first cousins) helped him get through some rough times. His uncle Butch Mamer took Gregg to several of sporting events and was like a second father to Gregg.
Gregg will be missed and remembered always by his mom, Mamie Busch, brothers, Tom Busch, Pete (Jean) Busch, Brad Busch; best friend and companion Connie Crimi and her children: Kyle (Haley) Crimi, Kelly (Nick) Fortis, Kassie (Gabe) Candelaria and granddaughters, Kinley, Emma, Olivia, Thea, Ellie, Sophia and Chloe; nieces & nephews; Joe, Billy, Laura, Stephen, Michael, Noah, Sydney; aunts: Gloria (Butch) Mamer, Mary Jane Busch, Dorothy Stehlik; life-long friends, Jim (Deb) Bastyr, John Breunig, Ron (Pam) Beckman & Gary (Lori) Kalal; “like a sister”, Trudy Anderson, many other wonderful relatives and numerous friends.
Preceded in death by dad, Roger “Rotz” Busch; Uncles & Aunts, Don (Mary Lou) Busch, Roman (Freda) Busch, Corrine (Russell) Welch,
Gerald Busch, Vernon (Kathryn) Busch, Jim (Rosie) Busch, Theresa (Gilbert) Krohn, Joseph (Patricia) Stehlik, Margaret (Arthur) Stresnak & Francis Stehlik.
Gregg was a kind, humble, caring and loving man with his own sense of humor. He was the guy who was asked many times… “what do you know about so & so” and would fill in the gaps with his impeccable memory and attention to detail and statistics. He will be missed by so many friends and family! The town of Jordan will miss the knowledge and LOVE that he had for his small town. No one loved or knew Jordan better than Gregg P. (Rotz) Busch.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
Gregg’s family would like to thank Dr. Neel Trivedi, Jill May, nurses Don, Sue and Kate at Abbott NW Hospital and the Allina Hospice nurses Sophie, Lindsey & Dana for their care and compassion. Also, our heartful thanks to all the family, friends and acquaintances that called, wrote and/or stopped by to visit with Gregg. Those loving gestures meant the world to him and to his family.
Visitation will be on Monday, Feb. 14, 3-7 pm at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Jordan, with a eulogy & closing prayer service at 6:30 pm.
The service can be live streamed via Zoom by clicking the following link: Gregg’s Eulogy & Closing Prayer
A Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, Feb. 15th, 11 am with visitation time prior from 9:30-10:45 am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Jordan. Guests may join via live stream of the mass by visiting http://sjbjordan.org
Pallbearers are Tom Busch, Pete Busch, Brad Busch, Kyle Crimi, Kelly Fortis and Kassie Candelaria. Honorary Pallbearers are Jim Bastyr, Ron Beckman, Gary Kalal, John Breunig & Butch Mamer. Gregg will be laid to rest on Wednesday, February 16 at 11 am, at St. John Calvary Cemetery, 4950 Kreuser Road, Jordan.
In lieu of flowers and in remembrance of Gregg’s life, memorials will be used to create a Gregg P. Busch Memorial Scholarship for students at Jordan High School.
