Tom Busch Services on Saturday

AMES, Iowa -- Services for former Iowa State football standout Tom Busch are Saturday. Busch, one of the most versatile players in Iowa State history, died Tuesday after a brief illness at the age of 60. A Mass of Resurrection will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Ludmila Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Burial will be at Cedar Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established. Please leave a message, tribute or memory on the online guest book at www.cedarmemorial.com.

Busch graduated from Garner-Hayfield High School in 1964, where he earned all-state honors in football and basketball. He also held the Iowa prep 220-yard dash record. The 6-foot, 190-pound Busch put that speed to good use at Iowa State, where he wore No. 13, as he had in high school.

Technically a halfback or wingback, he was utilized constantly by Cyclone head coach Clay Stapleton. By the end of his career, he had seen action as a receiver, tailback/halfback, punter, place-kicker, punt returner and kickoff returner.

Busch ended his career having caught 82 passes for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns. When his career ended in 1967, he ranked behind only Jim Doran and Eppie Barney in career receiving yards. Four decades after his last game, he still ranks third on the all-time ISU kickoff return average list, averaging 24.7 yards on 38 career returns. He rushed 36 times for 192 yards and one TD in his career. In 1965, as a sophomore, he earned the Al Knudson Award as the team's best newcomer. During his 1966 junior season, he hit on 16-of-17 extra-point tries and 6-of-10 field goal attempts. At the time, the six field goals were a school record. By the end of his career, he had scored eight touchdowns in addition to his kicking contributions to tally 82 career points. He averaged 38.1 yards on 16 career punts, and 13.5 yards on a pair of career punt returns.

Busch was one of the great deep threats in Iowa State history, averaging 15.8 yards per catch. His longest play was an 82-yard scoring pass from Tim Van Galder in a 24-20 loss at Oklahoma on Nov. 6, 1966. It remains the fifth-longest pass play in Iowa State history. Garner residents honored Busch, their hometown hero, on Tom Busch Day at Clyde Williams Field on Sept. 30, 1967. He said before his final game that the recognition day with his hometown friends and family was a bigger thrill than any on-field accomplishment.

Busch, who earned a bachelor's degree at ISU, was selected to play in the Senior Bowl after his collegiate career was finished. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL and played there for a year before heading north to play one year in the Canadian Football League. Busch went on to coach and teach school in Klemme, Iowa, and at Cedar Rapids Washington and Jefferson high schools and Wilson and Roosevelt middle schools. He enjoyed playing softball for many years after graduation.

Tom Busch is survived by his wife, Diane, two sons, Bob Busch of Marion and Tom Busch (Meg) of Marion; three stepchildren, Jason Boyle (Kelli) of Cedar Rapids, Josh Boyle (Genevieve) of Des Moines and Tara Boyle (fianc? Mike) of Cedar Rapids; two grandchildren, Alexis and Austin Busch; and two step grandchildren, Madison and Logan Boyle.

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