Edward Buys

** TO VIEW VIDEO TRIBUTE, CLICK WEBLILNK ABOVE  **Edward Buys, age 78 of Belle Fourche SD, died Friday November 14, 2014 at the Sturgis Regional Hospital, with his loving wife by his side. The funeral service will be held 10 am Friday, November 21st, 2014 at the Christian Life Center in Belle Fourche. Visitation will take place 5 to 7 pm Thursday at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Interment will take place in Pine Slope Cemetery, in Belle Fourche. Edward Buys was born October 5, 1936 in a farm home near Chandler, Minnesota. He was the son of John and Johanna (Wiekeraad) Buys. Edward grew up on a family farm near Chandler, where he attended a country school. He graduated from Chandler High School, and then began a career of public education that got its start in earning a B.S. Degree in Education from Northwestern College in Orange City Iowa. Ed also attended the Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids Michigan. He received a Specialist Degree from the University of Mankato and his Masters Degree from South Dakota State University in Brookings. On August 20th, 1957 Ed was united in marriage to Donna Holm in Chandler, MN. To this union four children were born: Debra, Cheryl, Todd, and Valerie. Ed’s first teaching job was the sixth grade in Byron Center Michigan in 1960. He also taught school for several years in Grandville MI, and in 1967 he became the Principal in Canby Minnesota until 1987, when he accepted the Superintendent position in Carthage SD. In 1995 Ed and Donna retired to Whitewood SD, and for the past several years they have lived in Belle Fourche SD. Ed loved the farm life, and throughout most of his life he worked hard raising cattle, sheep, and horses. He was a true shepherd. Ed was a “jack of all trades”; there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. He did many carpentry projects, painted many places, and he could make anything. He worked hard and he liked to stay busy. He was a father who would do anything for his family. For the past several years, Ed has suffered from Dementia. During this time of confusion, memory loss, and frustrations in life, Ed found peace and comfort in his faith, the hymns of the faith, and his devoted wife of 57 years. Ed will be greatly missed. Ed is survived by his wife, Donna of Belle Fourche; son, Todd (Jill Weber) of Canby MN; daughters, Debra (Alan) Hardison of Belle Fourche, Cheryl (Bill) Haines of Plankinton SD, Valerie (Cody) McMichael of Heber Springs AR; 10 grandchildren, Jack, Alex, Daniel, Michael, Rachel, Ashley, Erik, Lance, Sterling, Chandler; 3 brothers, Gerald (Berdena) Buys of Slayton MN, Herman (Dorothy) Buys of Luverne MN, LeRoy (Patsy) Buys of Chandler MN; 2 sisters, Ann (Jim) Gorder of Zeeland MI, Linda (Robert) Schelhaas of Edgerton MN; several nieces and nephews; and sister-in-law, Genevieve Gunnick of Chandler MN. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Melvin Buys. Date of Birth October 5, 1936 – Chandler, Minnesota   Date of Death November 14, 2014 - Sturgis, South Dakota   Funeral Service 10:00 A.M. – Friday – November 21, 2014 Christian Life Center Belle Fourche, South Dakota   Officiant Pastor Paul Howard   Special Music “All Because of God’s Amazing Grace”, Judy Howard, soloist “The Love of God”, Vance Bow, soloist“”That Will be Glory”, duet by Vance Bow and Deb Hardison   Casketbearers Vance Bow                                                Michael Hardison Jack Buys                                            Chandler McMichael Daniel Hardison                                                  Eric Nelson   Interment Pine Slope Cemetery Belle Fourche, South Dakota