Dr. James Busser

Public

I enjoyed the privilege of attending the celebration of the life of the late Jim Busser on this Friday past. I was already aware that he had been an exceptional human being, yet it was a remarkable revelation to listen to the recollections of those who rose to speak of their connections with him. 

The extent to which he had touched the lives positively in so many spheres was quite extraordinary. Apart from his evident intellectual brilliance as a physician, his grasp of the impact of interpersonal relationships in corporate organizations was of unparalleled acuity. As was his ability to bring the light of rationality into common discourse. 

James will be remembered as an irresistible force that refused to be cowed by the reactionary and shamefully self-interested individuals, who populated the corridors and offices of the BCMA. At the time of his far-too-premature death there remains much work to be done to achieve the level of transparent and democratic governance in the BCMA to which he aspired. We owe it to his memory to continue along the path that he defined.

James was much more than a wise and compassionate physician. In this alone he would have served as a paradigm for the rest of us. He was a leader who insisted that the only weapons of combat should be integrity and scrupulous adhence to truth and honesty, while eschewing any sense of prejudice. In this sense he was also a philosopher. 

Somehow he managed to find the time to be a loving and devoted family man, a man and leader of his community, and a sportsman. I found myself wondering if he ever found time to sleep. And his interest and skills in information technology seem to have been legendary.

Over the course of a lifetime one comes into contact with another person who leaves a sense that one has been touched by someone and something very special, no matter how briefly. James was such a person in mine.

Chris  Sedergreen