Community celebrates Grand Marshal Busby
BY KADIE TAYLOR
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — The 2025 LaFayette Christmas Parade Grand Marshal, Dr. Donald “Butch” Busby, has led the community in more ways than one. A dentist in LaFayette for 39 years, starting in 1982, Busby has brightened smiles and the community through his dedicated volunteering.
Along with being LaFayette’s mayor from 1996 to 2000, Busby worked to improve and support the LaFayette community through his involvement in Dixie Youth Baseball, the Chambers County Hospital Board, the Pine Tree Festival, Jaycees, the Chambers Academy Board, Rotary International, Vision LaFayette and LaFayette Main Street.
“I was very honored when I was told that I was being considered and [had been] nominated to be Grand Marshal,” Busby said. “It was a great honor and [I’m] very humbled by it, and quite honestly, I was not necessarily expecting to be named the Grand Marshal. I knew there were other people that were being considered, even though I didn't know who they were, but it was just a very big honor to even be under consideration. Having been a resident of LaFayette for 43 years, it's even more special that a committee and a group of citizens would feel like I've contributed enough to our community to want to recognize me for that, and I appreciate that recognition.”
Busby said his motivation to get involved in LaFayette was to become a part of the new city he moved to and his conviction as a Christian to serve those in his community.
“I'm a retired clinical dentist, and having not been native to the community, when we decided to make this our home, the only way to become part of the community was to get involved with the community,” he said. “So from early on — I tried to get involved with as much as I could… The two greatest commandments [from God] were to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself, and I take that to heart. So helping others and working with others to improve their lot — brings me great joy and great satisfaction.”
LaFayette Christmas Committee member and City Council Member for District A, Emily Milford, said Busby’s commitment to LaFayette has not gone unnoticed, and choosing him as Grand Marshal was a way to show appreciation for all he has done.
“Dr. Busby has poured so much into this community throughout his lifetime as a LaFayette citizen both professionally and personally,” she said. “He has always been willing to step up to the plate as a volunteer in many organizations for decades and always does so with a positive attitude and a smile on his face. When choosing a Grand Marshal, we always try to think of a citizen who exemplifies these characteristics and gives back to the community, so choosing him was a perfect fit. We are honored to have him as our Grand Marshal and thankful that we can use this honor to show just a small token of appreciation from the citizens of LaFayette.”
With the community having gathered on Dec. 13 for the Christmas Parade, Busby said he wants to thank those who spent time organizing the event for the community to celebrate the holiday season together.
“I want to say thank you to all of the people who have been instrumental in organizing the parade, not only this year, but in years past,” he said. “It is something that the community looks forward to, it's very much appreciated, and I encourage them to continue their efforts to put it on and to better it. And I would ask the community to express their appreciation to the members of the Christmas Committee who have been involved in putting the parade together — let them know how much [the community] appreciates it, because they spent numerous hours and a lot of heartache and headache in making sure things were done well — to bring joy, happiness and peace to our small community, and it means a lot. Merry Christmas, and God bless each and every person in our community, and may the joy of Jesus and the joy of Christmas fill each and every life and each and every minute of this holiday season.”
