Catherine Elaine (Connett) Busby was born August 30, 1950 to Robert and Ada Connett of Bird City, KS. Cathy entered eternal life on July 18, 2022 at her Idaho Falls home surrounded by her loving family thanks to hospice care provided by Encompass Health Care.
She grew up on the family farm north of Bird City and enjoyed riding her horse, Shorty, to the one room Liberty school until the family moved into Bird City. She developed a love of horses and all living creatures thanks to her father’s encouragement. Cathy graduated from Bird City High School in 1969.
Cathy married Darrell Busby on December 27,1969. To this union Justin and Julie were born. As the family moved from Manhattan, KS to LaCrosse, KS to Goodland, KS back to Manhattan to Oakland, IA for 40 years and finally to Idaho Falls, Cathy was always the caregiver for her family, hospice patients, school children, nursing home patients, neighbors, and friends. Each community had highlights. In LaCrosse, Cathy loved being an extra in the movie Paper Moon; and in Goodland, Cathy loved helping with the Prairie Dusters riding group and performing at Cheyenne Frontier Days, Pikes Peak Rodeo and many other rodeos while pregnant with Julie. Cathy worked 3 summers for the Omaha Royals and loved both the Omaha and Kansas City Royals. State and county fairs were always a great place to see friends and enjoy concerts. She was an avid K-State football fan and enjoyed bowl games. Oakland was the home to many of Cathy’s best friends that she has now rejoined in heaven. Idaho Falls was home to many roads to enjoy the mountains, rivers and wildlife.
Cathy met the challenges of mental illness head on and appreciated the doctors that helped her manage her illness with medications. When ask about friends in Idaho Falls she replied that the majority of people she had met were in the medical field and she consider them all her friends. Her family can’t express enough the health care provided in Idaho Falls and the hospice care provided by Encompass Hospice of the West.
Cathy is preceded in death by her parents Ada and Bob Connett, sister Carolyn Query.
Survivors include husband Darrell, son Justin, daughter Julie, brother-in-law Roland Query and wife Linda, grandchildren Shelby and Blake Busby and great- granddaughters Lilah and Lucy. Brother-in-law Dennis Busby and wife Leann, Doug Busby and David Busby.
Cathy and Darrell met through 4-H. 4-H was important to our family. Cathy was most proud of Darrell’s induction into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. Instead of flowers, please consider memorials in Cathy’s name be given to the 4-H organization of your choice.
Cathy chose cremation which is being provided by Eckersell Funeral Home, Rigby, ID. The family is planning a celebration of life on September 15, 2022 and the ceremony will be available on zoom. Please contact the family for details.
