ALFRED ‘BUCK’ BUCHNER
ALFRED ‘BUCK’ BUCHNER
Buck was born November 10, 1930, in Bad Worishofen, Germany. At one, he was removed from his birth parent’s home for malnutrition and adopted by Josef and Anna Gabler where he joined three sisters, Toni, Josi, and Annemarie. He was raised in Aufkirchen, Germany, and attended St Maria Catholic Grade school. At age 10, he was forced to join Hitler’s Youth, at age 14 he was sent to France to fight in “Hitler’s last stand”. He was captured by the Americans and was put in prison. When released, he had to walk from France back to his home in Germany.
In his teen years he was sent to Munich to help clean up the bombing rubble and tried to finish his schooling. He and his buddies loved racing their motorcycles in the mountains. He was spotted by a BMW representative who recruited him to race BMW motorcycles for them. He raced all over Europe, (France, Germany, Monte Carlo). BMW sponsored his college years at the University of Munich where he obtained an aeronautical engineering degree.
He met an American Airman, whose family sponsored Buck to America. At the age of 22 he came to the Iowa farm of Jack and Helen Gourley. A very big cultural change from his beloved mountains to the flatlands of Iowa. Shortly after arriving in the United States, he joined the United States Army and did basic training, paratrooper training and Special Forces. He was sent to Military Intelligence School in Oberammergau, Germany, became an MP and received his United States citizenship in Frankfurt, Germany. He said denying his German citizenship was the hardest thing he had ever done.
After 2 years in the Army, he worked at the Chevrolet Garage in Webster City, Iowa, then became a Police Officer in Webster City, reaching the rank of Captain. He joined the Iowa State Patrol and served 6 years in Britt, Iowa He became an insurance adjuster for Farm Bureau and then a State Farm Insurance Agent in Algona, Iowa, where he finished his career.
He was appointed by Iowa Governor Robert Ray to the ESGR (Employers Support of the Guard and Reserve) where he served as a volunteer for 33 years as an Area Chairman, State Vice Chairman, and State Ombudsman. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion, serving as Commander; a lifetime member of the VFW, Knights of Columbus, the Algona Rotary Club, serving as president, and the Algona Chamber of Commerce Board.
Buck married Dorothy Lee Crystal on November 20, 1955 in Webster City, Iowa. They had four children, Joseph, Laguna Hills, CA; Christine (Charlie), New Orleans, LA; Linda (David), Tulsa, OK; Thomas (Diane), Bethlehem, PA. Three grandsons: Cole, San Diego, CA; John, & Michael, Bethlehem, PA. He was preceded in death by his mother and father and 3 sisters, 1 sister-in-law and 4 brothers-in-law. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews in America and Germany.
Buck was a fun loving, energetic, charismatic, intelligent, friendly person who loved his birth country and his adopted country very deeply. He loved his wife, children, and grandchildren passionately. He was a romantic by heart. Family meant everything to him.
Visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m., Friday, September 10, 2021 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1000 Des Moines Street in Webster City, Iowa 50595. The family Eulogy will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Friday, September 10, 2021. Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Buck’s life will commence at 11:00 a.m. at the church. A Committal Service will immediately follow Mass at Cass Township Cemetery in Webster City, IA. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Therese Catholic Church, 7207 N. Highway 9 Kansas City, MO 64152. Memories of Alfred “Buck” Buchner and condolences to the family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com. Arr: entrusted with Meyers Funeral Chapel.