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Roger Allen Buss, age 80, of Franklin, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 2, 2025, after a brief stay in hospice. He was born on April 30,1945 in West Allis to Allen and Eleanor (Brixius) Buss. Roger loved his family with all of his heart, and would do anything for them. He is survived by his wife, Betty (Shuty) Buss, and his children, Tracy (Tim McCollow) Buss, Pamela Buss, and Brody Buss. He was grandfather to Meena, Fiona, Nikolai Brixius, Winston, Milo, and Alex. The same day as his passing, his first great-grandchild, Yuna, was welcomed into the world.
Roger co-founded Suburban Asphalt Co. in 1965, right out of high school. He was rightfully proud of the successful business he built, and was beloved by his employees and customers, many of whom became good friends. He took great joy in his work, and gave back to his community, including as a 50-year member of the Franklin Lions Club, helping the club raise funds by working the parking lot at the St. Martin’s Labor Day Fair.
Roger also dedicated much of his time to youth sports. He spent eight years as head basketball coach for Sacred Hearts grade school, sharing his leadership and passion for the game with students in grades 5 through 8. He was a generous donor and supporter of local athletic organizations, including the Croatian Eagles Soccer Club and the Striders Track Club.
In 1979, Roger and Betty built Franklin Village, the city’s first strip mall. Roger appreciated being a major contributor to Franklin’s business development and supporting Franklin Village’s tenants.
He was a graduate of Pius XI High School. Many of Roger’s Pius friends remained his closest friends to the end, and they had such great times together. One of Roger’s best days was finally winning the “Banana Open” annual golf tournament that he and his wife Betty hosted for many years, always followed by a party that couldn’t be matched. Roger and Betty also owned a home in Phoenix for many years, where they welcomed friends and family to spend time with them, golfing, hiking, and exploring the magnificent desert landscapes. Roger had an adventurous spirit, loving to travel near and far. At home, he enjoyed landscaping and caring for his flowers.
Roger was amazingly upbeat, resilient, and kind, an example of how life should be lived to everyone around him. At age 68, he had a stroke that left him with right side paralysis and aphasia. He “turned a negative into a positive,” as he would always say, and communicated by learning how to write with his left hand. Most impressively, Roger taught himself to paint landscapes with his left hand using brush markers and became, with no previous art background, a talented and prolific artist. He shared his art at multiple shows; a few days before his death, he hosted a show of his work and was able to celebrate one of his last days with friends and family.
A visitation will be held at the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church (7963 S 116th St., Franklin) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 12:00 Noon until the time of the funeral service at 2:00 PM. After the service, family and friends are invited to a reception at That’s Amore (5080 S 108th St., Milwaukee).
For 11 years, Roger’s wife Betty lovingly gave her all to be his primary caregiver, allowing Roger to stay home. The family would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Roger’s other caregivers and therapists who aided him over the years.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.
Graveside services are scheduled for Tuesday, August 19th at 11 a.m. in Section D-2 of the Lake View Cemetery with Rev. Fr Raju Joseph to officiate. Ryan Funeral Home is serving the famil
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