Stanley J. Busch

Stanley J. Busch, 85, of Knox, New York, passed away on August 10, 2026. His life was characterized by hard work, a sense of responsibility, craftsmanship, devotion to family, and a fierce independence.

Stanley was born on October 26, 1940, in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Raised in a family of modest means, he began working at a very young age to help support his mother and father. He also helped care for his younger brother, Robert, who developed insulin-dependent diabetes at the age of three and suffered serious complications from the disease. These early responsibilities helped shape Stanley's strong work ethic, perseverance, and lifelong belief in taking care of those who depended upon him.

Stanley met his wife, Karin, in the early 1960s, beginning a partnership that would span more than six decades. Karin was his best friend and the anchor of his life, and together they built a family and a life centered around hard work, home, and perseverance.

Stanley became a union carpenter and developed into a highly skilled craftsman. Among the projects he worked on was the construction of the Empire State Plaza in Albany, including the iconic performing arts center known as The Egg. His contribution to this historic undertaking remains memorialized on a plaque at the Plaza bearing the names of the construction workers who helped build it.

Stanley later became President of Local 370 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America in Albany. During his tenure, he advocated for a seven-hour workday for union carpenters. Although the initiative was ultimately unsuccessful, Stanley remained committed to what he believed would improve the working lives of the men and women he represented.

Stanley's talents as a carpenter extended well beyond his professional work. He was a man who could envision something and then build it with his own hands. He designed and constructed his own barn from the ground up, developing the plans himself, and he also built his family's home. Carpentry was more than Stanley's occupation; it was a craft he mastered and one through which he expressed his ingenuity, independence, and pride in a job well done.

Stanley and Karin eventually left Long Island and moved their family to the Town of Knox, New York, where they established Busch Farms. There, they developed the property, raised horses, and harvested hay. The farm later became home to Longview Riding Stables and remained an important part of their family's life for many years.

Stanley also owned and operated Knoxville Trailer Park. He worked to improve and maintain the property and managed it with the same sense of responsibility that characterized the rest of his life. Over the years, many of the residents became more than tenants; they became friends. Those friendships endured, and several of those individuals remained close to Stanley and offered friendship and support during his later years.

Family remained central to Stanley throughout his life. He took pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren and believed strongly in the importance of work, responsibility, perseverance, and self-reliance.

Perhaps no period of Stanley's life demonstrated his devotion more clearly than the final years of Karin's life. As her health declined, Stanley became her devoted caregiver for approximately six years. He remained steadfastly at her side, tending to her needs and making it possible for her to remain in the home and among the family they had built together. He cared for Karin faithfully until her death on July 16, 2026, after more than six decades together.

Stanley leaves a legacy of work ethic, perseverance, responsibility, and steadfastness-values he instilled in his children and passed on to the generations that followed. He took great pride in his family's accomplishments and offered his encouragement and support throughout their lives.

Stanley will be greatly missed by those who loved him. Though his voice can no longer be heard offering steady advice, his family will continue to carry that voice within them. That enduring guidance may be among Stanley's greatest legacies.

Stanley was predeceased by his beloved wife, Karin Busch.

Stanley is survived by his children, Deborah Busch, Darrin Busch and his wife, Holly, Derek Busch, and Dwayne Busch and his wife, Dody; his grandchildren, Klaus Busch and his wife, Amber, Garrett Disarno and his wife, Sara, Devin Busch and his spouse, Patrick, Jennifer Busch, Trevor Busch, Tyler Busch, and Tucker Busch; his great-grandchildren, Eric and Kellen; and his extended family, Ricky Shoemaker and his wife, Michelle, their children, Kirstin, Dakota, Ava, Willow, and Ella, and their great-grandson, Camden Vallon.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Fredendall Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Knox Cemetery, where Stanley will be laid to rest.