Justin Busick Obituary

Justin Jerald "Jay" Busick passed away on June 20, 2025, in Hitachi Omiya-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan. He
was just three days shy of his 44th birthday. Born on June 23, 1981, in Aurora, Colorado, Justin lived a
life shaped by passion-for music, for teaching, and for the culture he came to embrace as his own.
A graduate of Denver South High School, Justin pursued higher education at Western State College in
Gunnison, Colorado. From an early age through his college years, music was a central part of his life. His
dream was to become a music teacher-a goal he fulfilled with dedication and heart.
Justin began his professional journey working at Coors Field for Aramark in the uniform room. He later
realized his dream of teaching by serving as a K–12 music teacher in Walsh, Colorado for two years.
However, it was in Japan that Justin found his true calling and home.
For sixteen years, Justin worked as an Alternative Language Teacher with Heart Corporation in Mito,
Japan. He taught English in Japanese public schools and developed a deep connection with the students
and communities he served. His favorite level to teach was elementary school-where his enthusiasm
and warmth resonated most deeply with young learners. Teaching Japanese elementary students
became not just a job but a profound joy and purpose in his life.
Justin's love for Japanese culture began long before he ever set foot in the country. From middle school
onward, he immersed himself in anime books and the language and traditions of Japan. That early
fascination blossomed into a lifelong devotion that ultimately led him across the world to live and work
where he felt most at home.
He is lovingly remembered by his parents, Jerry and Jan Busick; his brother Jeremy Busick; and his sister
Jamie Busick. He was preceded in death by his brother Joshua James Busick.
Justin died doing what he loved-in a place that had captured his heart long ago. May his memory bring
comfort to those who knew him and inspiration to all who pursue their passions with such wholehearted
devotion.