Elder F. Enzio Busche

An incomparable humble servant and follower of Jesus Christ, F. Enzio Busche, age 90, passed away May 28, 2020, in his Bountiful, Utah home of natural causes. Elder Busche was an emeritus General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the First Quorum of the Seventy. He was born April 5, 1930, in Dortmund, Germany, to Fritz and Aenne Busche. The only son, Enzio grew up with 4 sisters in a home built by their father. With the onset of World War II in 1939, his family fled to southern Germany for safety. At the tender age of 14, Enzio was drafted into the German army and made a soldier.  He was soon captured by American forces and eventually reunited with his family in 1945.

Their home in ruins, Enzio worked with his father to repair their family home and livelihood. Enzio returned to school in 1946 and attended university in Bonn and Freiburg, Germany, before going to work for his father’s small printing business.  

Enzio married his childhood sweetheart, Jutta Baum, in 1955. Following a serious illness, Enzio began a lifelong quest for spiritual truth and light in his life. Two years after meeting with missionaries, Enzio and Jutta were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a swimming pool on January 19, 1958. 

Looking to God for direction in all aspects of his life, Enzio grew the printing business as he grew in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, eventually becoming a leader in his Church community in Dortmund and became the CEO of Busche Printing.

In 1977, after serving as a translator for President Spencer W. Kimball who was visiting the Saints in Europe, Enzio was called to serve as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. His first assignment was to preside over the Germany Munich Mission. In 1980 he was called to serve in Utah and emigrated to America with his family. 

The gospel changed the life of Elder Busche and his family drastically, calling him away from his home and culture, but with gratitude he served God and looked to Him in every circumstance. He touched the lives of many people as he visited dozens of countries and cities across the globe during his service as a General Authority from 1977 to 2000, including service as president of the Frankfurt Germany Temple from 1987-1989.

Always a deep thinker, Enzio enjoyed classical music and was an avid reader and lifelong learner. He loved hiking, sailing and biking and started a jogging club in Dortmund, the first of its kind in Germany.

“Yearning for the Living God,” a book of reflections from his life was published in 2004. Enzio loved to share stories and lessons from his life as he helped and counseled with people. He taught us to love unconditionally and look to God in all things.  

Enzio is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jutta Baum Busche, children F. Markus (Antje) Busche, Matthias (Shannon Simonelli) Busche, Maja Busche (Aaron) Hubbard, and Daniel (Julia) Busche, two sisters, Linde (Ernst-Otto) Grosspietsch and Kerstin Grimmer, 19 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. 

A private graveside service will be held Wednesday June 3, at 11 a.m. at Memorial Lakeview Cemetery, 1640 E. Lakeview Drive in Bountiful.  In lieu of flowers, a donation to LDS Charities would be welcome.