Obituary of Vernon Buchman

Services for Vern Buchman, age 87, of Spirit Lake, will be 2 pm, Monday February 8, 2016, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation will begin one hour prior to service time. Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Vern Buchman, 87, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Sunrise Retirement Community in Sioux City, IA. Vernon Earle Buchman was born in Sibley, IA on October 30, 1928 to Charles Edward and Annie Augusta (Fischer) Buchman. He graduated from Sibley High School on May 22, 1947. On October 21, 1951 he was united in marriage to Jeanine Kaye Brower at the Sibley Methodist Church. They moved to Spirit Lake, IA where he was employed with Berkley & Company. In 1966 he was transferred to Emmetsburg, IA as manager of the Berkley fishing rod plant. In 1972 he returned to Spirit Lake where he continued to work for the company until his retirement in the early 1980's. He spent his retirement years as a professional garage saler and flea market attendee. Vern enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 15, 1948 and retired as a Colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard on October 30, 1988, at which time he was brevetted to the rank of Brigadier General. Very active in the community, he and Jean delivered Meals on Wheels for 25 years. He served on the Board of Prairie Gold Area Council BSA and is the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He was recognized as a 12-Gallon Blood Donor by the American Red Cross. He acted as Charter President of two Kiwanis Clubs. He was a life-long member of the Methodist Church but most recently attended First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake. Always active in church work, he and other Winter Texans assisted in building, maintaining and supplying an orphanage in Mexico during the winter months they spent on South Padre Island, TX. He and Jean were supporters of the Adopt A Child Program. He particularly enjoyed a long-time Bible Study with his closest friends. Vern is survived by sons; Jeff (JuLee) of Sioux City, IA; Randy (Vonda) of Spirit Lake, IA and daughter Kris Goetsch of Spirit Lake, IA; grandchildren Meredeth Buchman, Grant (Bao) Buchman, Tanner, Tyler and Travis Goetsch and Kristi Buchman; his first great granddaughter to arrive in March; brother Richard (Elaine) Buchman and sister-in-law Betty Buchman. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Jean on February 7, 2010; two infant daughters; sister Evelyn Engelthaler and brother Charles Buchman, Jr.