Gregory Mitchell Buls passed away at the age of 53 in Gilbert, Arizona on June 21, 2020 after succumbing to cancer.
Gregory was born in Spokane, Washington and later moved to Missoula, Montana with his family where he met what would be some of his lifelong friends.
During high school, he participated in Speech and Debate, winning the title of Policy Debate State Champion two years in a row. He was a National Merit Finalist as well as senior class president and graduated from Sentinel High School in 1985.
He went on to graduate from Trinity University of San Antonio in 1989. Fresh out of college, he moved to Arizona and started Kingpin Comics, which soon became an incredibly successful international comic book distributor. He discovered the Orthodox Christian faith and met one of his best friends, Father James Thorton, through the religion.
Father James introduced Gregory to Tatiana Mileant. They fell in love and married in October of 1998. They had two daughters, Sophia in 2004 and Vivian in 2006, both born in Prescott, Arizona.
The family moved multiple times before finally choosing to reside in Oklahoma, where he started his most recent and most successful business. After his loving wife passed of cancer, Greg moved his business and children to Arizona in 2015. During the next five years, he watched his two joys grow into intelligent, beautiful young women.
He is survived by his Mother, Donna Buls, 82, his sister, Stephanie Buls, 55, and his daughters, Sophia Buls, 16, and Vivian Buls, 14, as well as his beloved dog, Midnight.
Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 27, 2020 at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church, 2402 North Usery Pass Road, Mesa with Father James Coles officiating. Burial will immediately follow the ceremony via funeral procession to the Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 1562 East Baseline Road, Mesa. Following both official ceremonies, all family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life beginning at 2:00 PM at the family’s home.
Condolences and Hugs from Home may be expressed at www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com
Traci Grgich & family
We are so sorry to hear of your families loss. Please know that your in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
John M. Dayries
I am very saddened to learn of Greg’s untimely passing. I knew him in high school many years ago. He was a dedicated debater, a good card player and an ambitious young man. When I attended the National High School Speech & Debate Tournament as a judge at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado in the summer of 1989, I spoke with the team that won the national team debate championship. They were from San Antonio, Texas. They proudly told me that Greg acted as their coach while he was enrolled at Trinity U. and spoke very highly of him. His thoughtful students were definitely a credit to his outstanding mentorship and counsel to them.
Greg enjoyed some business success in life. Once I had the opportunity to speak with him while he operated his comic book business in Arizona. It was a quite a going concern for a time. Greg knew when and how to strike while the iron was hot. Not all in business are so fortunate.
No doubt Greg will be missed greatly by his daughters, his surviving family and his many friends and acquaintances. I will miss the chance to have the occasion to speak with him once again, to learn about his successes and travails in life, to listen to his unique perspective about the world and to just catch up on his life’s story. He is gone from this Earth far too soon but he will not be forgotten.
RIP Greg.
Elaine Anderson-Wood
I just now found out about the passing of Greg and am so saddened to hear about it. Greg rode my school bus (I still live just one gulch over from his childhood home). Greg had such a great sense of humor and shared that in our German class at Sentinel. I’m so sorry for those whom were closest to Greg. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
-Elaine
ANISSA & Daniel Mesa
My son just told me the news of Greg’s passing. My family and I want to express our condolences. I am so so sorry to hear about this. My heart is truly saddened for the loss of such a great guy. My husband and I meet him from our kids going to the same school back when they attended Dobson Academy in Chandler. I will be praying for his soul and most definitely reaching out to his family.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest In Peace. Amen