Odin George Buser

Odin George Buser died peacefully in his parents’ arms at Children’s Mercy Hospital (CMH) on Friday, July 7, 2023. From the moment Odin fought his way into this world on December 26, 2018, his strength, and his spirit reigned. Sweet “Odie” spent the first months of his life – and many more later – charming and perplexing the nurses and doctors at CMH as he valiantly battled the impacts of his unbalanced chromosome translocation.

Odin, god of war and poetry, is a name befitting this beautiful boy. The war in his body that he fought with each hospital visit, braving the tests and tubes and the medical care with mom and dad snuggled beside him. He won so many battles and returned to the peace and love of home.

Perhaps his sister in poetry and determination expressed it best, “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us” – Helen Keller.

And that smile. Odin’s smile -- that heart-melting, joyous grin filled with mischief and love. A smile that warmed you to the toes, garnered thousands of Facebook hearts, and inspired an army of prayer warriors.

A smile always brought on by his mom’s or dad’s voice, a boop of his nose, or a tickle of his cheek in rhythm with the chugga-chugga-choo-choo of an imaginary train. A smile remembered always with his love of Star Wars, music, and Monster. A smile that punctuated each swing on the swing set and every dip in the water. A smile so loved it will never be lost.

Odie is survived by his loving parents, Courtney (Symes) and Mark Buser and his cat, Ruger; grandparents Lisa and Ed Symes, Michael and Holly Buser, and Lori and Brian Scott; great-grandmother Ollie (Bonnie) Steinacher; aunts Kacie Symes and Kelly Rota, uncle Andrew and aunt Jenny Buser, and uncle Jake Scott; cousins Emma and Sam Rota-Autry and Charlie, Ryann, and Hudson Buser; and his large extended family who all loved him so very much.

The family thanks the staff at CMH, particularly those in the NICU, 6Hall, and PICU; his at-home caregivers; Beacon Clinic; the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI); and Britain Development for all their love and care.

Visitation is from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14th at Amos Family Funeral Home, 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66203. Catholic Mass is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 15th at St. Therese Little Flower, 5814 Euclid Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64130.  Burial will follow mass at Mount Moriah Cemetery, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131.

Memorial contributions may be made in Odin’s name to either CCVI, 3101 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111, who provided Odin’s birth-to-age-3 services or Britain Development, 9100 West 74th Street, Merriam, KS 66204, where Odin participated in his beloved aqua therapy and occupational/physical therapy.