GRACE ELLENE BUSBY

June 28, 1942 - January 29, 2021

Ft. Myers, Florida

Grace's Obituary

Grace Ellene Busby (Ellene), 78, passed away on January 29, 2021 during her and her husband’s annual trip to Florida at a Ft. Myers hospital following an incredible and often miraculous fight for life. Ellene is survived by her husband, Jimmy LeRoy Busby (Jim), after showing the world the very definition of love. She is also survived by her sister, Susan Claudette Witten (Susan) and her husband Danny, her two sons, Woodrow Chadwick Huffines, III, (Dub) and his wife Cynthia (Cindy), Bradford Thurlow Huffines (Brad), and his wife Monica, Christopher Guy Busby (Chris), and his partner Denny MedicineBird, Barbara Busby Gibson (Barbie) and her husband J. Michael, Patricia Busby O’Shaughnessy (Patti) and her husband Andrew (Andy), and former daughters-in-law Ronda Linn Huffines and Lynnette Kay Huffines. Ellene was born on June 28, 1942, into a large and joyously supportive family that support each other to a level hard to imagine in this fragmented world. After meeting in Oklahoma City, OK, then marrying on August 23, 1978, Jim and Ellene masterfully navigated the world of blending families and children for the next 42 years. The couple moved to Southern Pines in 1989 where she and Jim were partners in a local and highly successful CPA firm, Busby and Company. Jim and Ellene craved time together every moment from the day they met, in work, travel, leisure, and family, especially with their grandchildren. Ellene would best be described as fierce to those who knew her. She was fiercely loyal to her family, to her faith and to her political philosophies, volunteering at her churches, the Republican Party and Tea Party. She would serve as treasurer, organizer, or fundraiser, and defender of her sense of right and wrong. She uniquely became a CPA in Oklahoma, passing her exams on her first try though her formal education ended with her GED. All who knew her would describe her as the family’s unwavering Matriarch and as a Patriot to her country. She always fiercely expected the best out of herself, her family, her closest friends, and her church. To her grandchildren and great grandchildren, she was Gigi. With Jim, they traveled the country to see them all, tirelessly and joyously. Her grandchildren are Nicholas, Joshua (Josh) and wife Abby, Austin, William, and Alaina (Dub, Cindy and Ronda), Benjamin, Brian and wife Danica, Kyler, Meredith and Logan (Brad, Lynnette, Monica and former wife Sandra Jo Huffines), Berto and Dino (Chris and Denny), Campbell (Barbie and Michael), Lilly and Kit (Patti and Andy). Her great grandchildren are Amelia (Nicholas and wife Morgan), Lydia and Heidi (Benjamin and wife Stacey). Her memorial service will be held at The Village Chapel in Pinehurst, NC, at 2pm Friday, February 5, 2021 and officiated by Dr. Rev. Ashley Smith. The service will be streamed online at https://tvcpinehurst.com. She will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, OK Tuesday February 9, 2021 at 2:00P.M.