Richard F. "Rick" Busse
August 16, 1948 – July 10, 2026
Services
Schedule Details
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, July 31, 2026 at Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.
Visitation will be from 12:00-1:00 pm at Benson Funeral Home.
Private burial will be at a later date in The Becker Cemetery.
Richard Fredric “Rick” Busse, age 77, of Sartell, MN passed away on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home, Sauk Rapids, MN.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, July 31, 2026 at Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN. Visitation will be from 12:00-1:00 pm at Benson Funeral Home. Private burial will be at a later date in The Becker Cemetery.
Rick was born in St. Cloud on August 16, 1948, to Ross and Mildred “Florence” (Rose) Busse. He grew up as a “farm boy”, helping with the animals and chores. In 1957, the family moved to New Braunfels, TX. Rick enjoyed living there until the family returned to St. Cloud in 1963. He graduated from Technical High School in 1966. After graduation he worked for Molitor Excavating until joining the U.S. Army. He served as a Military Policeman from 1968 through 1970 when he received an honorable discharge. He returned to St. Cloud and his previous job.
Rick was married to Sheryl “Sherry” Schwarzkopf on September 19, 1970, at Grace United Methodist Church in St. Cloud. Their family grew with the adoption of their son, Jared, in 1972 and daughter, Linna, in 1977. In 1975, they bought a farm south of St. Cloud where they lived until moving to South Dakota (and later Wyoming) in 1988. While out West, he worked with the South Dakota Department of Transportation. In 2000, Rick accepted a position with the Benton County Highway Department and they moved near Duelm. He retired from the highway department in 2014, then they moved to Sartell.
Rick enjoyed hunting, fishing, water sports, camping, exploring the outdoors, traveling and anything else he could do outside. He liked to say that he knew every road in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana! His favorite activity with Sherry was “going for a drive” which meant picking a direction, choosing a back-country road, and then just driving to see where it would lead them.
Rick will be deeply missed by his wife of 55 years, Sherry; sisters-in-law, Dee Busse and Janice Schwarzkopf; brothers-in-law, Craig (Sandy) Schwarzkopf, George Lemperes, and Glen Hilsgen.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Linna; Brothers, Bob (Bette) Busse and Roy Busse; brother-in-law, Larry Schwarzkopf; and sisters-in-law, Linda Lemperes and Sandi Hilsgen.