Laurence “Larry" Buller
May 26, 1952 – June 15, 2020
Laurence “Larry" Buller, 68, long-time Lincoln resident, passed away peacefully June 15, 2020, at Mayo Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, from complications of his acute myeloid leukemia.
Larry was born in Seward to W. Laurence and Eleanor Buller on May 26, 1952. He married Karen (Hodgkin Zimmerman) on May 4, 2003, in Lincoln. He went to school in Seward, with the exception of two years when he attended class in York and Lincoln where his mother was teaching. He graduated from Seward High School in 1970 and from Kansas State University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1977. He opened a clinic in Gretna upon graduation and two years later bought his clinic at 84th and O streets in Lincoln. He operated the Animal Care Clinic from 1979 to the end of 2016 after selling the practice due to his health issues. He loved his work, his clients and getting to know their humans. He served on the board of the Lincoln Humane Society and was a founding member of the emergency veterinary clinic in Lincoln.
He grew up in Seward, showing horses and traveled to many events for barrel racing with his mother, brother Bruce, Aunt Veronica and cousins Jon, Melody and Kenny Walsh. He continued to keep horses and loved working outside with them. After his AML diagnosis in 2016, he battled his way through various hardships always keeping that “Larry" sense of humor and kidlike orneryness. He will be sorely missed by many.
Larry is preceded in death by his parents, W. Laurence and Eleanor Buller; sister Laurelyn “Sue" Hoy and cousin Jon Walsh.
Larry is survived by his beloved wife and soulmate, Karen; daughter Laura and Mark Weerheim; adored grandchildren Zachary and Ellie Weerheim (Rochester, Minnesota); sons Michael and Bradley Buller (Huntington, California); stepchildren, Daniel (West Hollywood, California) and Jessica (Scottsdale, Arizona) Zimmerman; sister, Virginia Morgan (Norman, Oklahoma); brother, Bruce (Kathy) Buller (Chelsea, Oklahoma), many cousins and their families, as well as his best friend, Dale (Julie) Peter.
Mass of Christian Burial was June 23 at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Lincoln with interment at the St. Patrick's Catholic Church Cemetery in Utica. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. John the Apostle Catholic Church student scholarship fund, Buller family for future designation or donor's choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at volzkefuneralhome.com.
