Daniel Buss, 74, Boone, Iowa
BOONE, Iowa—Daniel Everett Buss, age 74, was welcomed into Heaven on August 1, 2026. He was born to Everett and Helen (Warner) Buss in Boone, IA.
He attended Sacred Heart School through 7th grade and graduated from Boone High School with Honors in the Class of 1970.
Dan was a beloved friend and family man. He was known for his great work ethic, business mind, visualizing startup businesses, his kindness and concern for others, his building talent, and his unwavering support of family, friends, and clients. He will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
His favorite job was working at Fareway in downtown Boone for 6 years with his high school pals, along with Floyd and Dave.
Many of Dan’s friends had hot rods, and he purchased his 1966 Ford Fairlane GT 390 with his earnings. He met his future wife (Sandra Hansen) at the Boone Pool, where they participated in AAU swimming. A few years later, he gave her a ride home in his Fairlane after she taught swimming lessons. She decided he was a keeper, and they enjoyed 54 years together, married in 1972.
Dan graduated from DMACC in 1972 and Iowa State University with a BS in Industrial Administration in 1974.
Dan was a life member of the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of CPA’s. He began his accounting profession in 1974 at McGladrey, Hansen, and Dunn (now RSM McGladrey), where he worked in Marshalltown for 4 years. In 1978, they moved to Boone, and he joined D.D. Pyle Company CPA’s in Ames, Iowa, where he later became a partner. He was a working CPA for 41 years.
In his free time, he enjoyed woodworking and remodeling/building three homes, pheasant hunting, skiing, fishing in Canada, and golfing. He taught his children how to golf and volunteered as a cub scout leader along with YMCA programs. He always did the right thing, even if it wasn’t easy. His favorite musician was Elvis Presley.
Dan planned and managed two housing developments where he oversaw the building of his last home. He was a founding member of Pheasants Forever for Boone and Story County and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He served as a Parish Council member at Sacred Heart Church. Dan was a Member of the Hudson Terraplane Club, of which he had a 1936 Hudson Terraplane Coupe. He was a member of the Fairlane Club of America and had a 1966 Fairlane GTA 390 Convertible. He enjoyed helping his accounting clients and was loved by his employees. He sought adventure and loved traveling with family, visiting all 50 states and especially enjoyed the National Parks. He also enjoyed snow skiing and would often allude to it as being as close as a person can be to flying.
Dan’s family was the most important thing in his life. He made sure every need was met as best as he could. He was a religious man, which his mother instilled in him at an early age.
Dan is survived by his wife, Sandra; daughters, Julie (Ted) Hoffmann, Suzanne (Rod) Kleitsch, and son, Joseph (Ashley) Buss; along with grandchildren: Luke Hoffmann, Marissa, Emily, Scarlett, and Nile Kleitsch, Zachary, Victoria, and Jackson Buss. Brother in laws; Don Whitmer and Bill Guenther; sister in laws; Georgia Hansen Paul (Fred) and Linda Hansen Bibb (Stephen); nieces: Laura (Dan) Manning, Sara Whitmer, Jennifer (Chris) Paris, Ashley McCoy; nephews: Mike (Larry) Whitmer, Bill (Jill) Guenther, Chris (Serena) McCoy, Nik (Katya) Larson; Buss and Warner cousins; Sandy’s cousins, Patti and Mike Hulsebus; and special friends Chuck and Claudia Lovin.
He was predeceased by his parents; and sisters, Gretchen Whitmer and Jean Guenther; and his in-laws, John and Marillyn Hansen.
Mass of Christian Burial for Dan will be Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 10:30 AM, with Visitation at 9:00 AM before the service at Sacred Heart Church in Boone, followed by inurnment at Linwood Park Cemetery with a luncheon following in the Parish Hall.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church or the Boone Area Veterans Center (BAVC).
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