Buhler, Elmer J. (1921-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Sep 4 p. 12

Birth date: 1921 Dec 16

text of obituary:

ELMER J. BUHLER

Elmer J. Buhler, 84, of Sioux City, Iowa, died July 28, 2006. He was born Dec. 16, 1921, to Adolph H. and Helen (Quiring) Buhler in Grant County, Okla.

He was raised on a farm west of Deer Creek, Okla., and graduated from high school in 1939. He attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., and graduated in 1948. He served in Civilian Public Service as a conscientious objector during World War II. In 1946 he married Hazel Senner.

He taught in Kansas schools, including 11 years at Wichita Southeast High School. He completed his master of arts degree at Wichita State in 1959 and his education specialist degree at Emporia State in 1967. He moved with his family to Iowa in 1968, where he worked as a school psychologist with the Sioux City Schools-AEA District 12 until his retirement in 1985. After his retirement, he helped start a conflict-resolution program in the Sioux City schools.

He was a lifelong Democrat and political activist. He was a member and president of SCANAR (Siouxlanders Concerned About the Nuclear Arms Race). He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir for many years. He enjoyed working on Habitat for Humanity projects and was an organic gardener.

Survivors include three sons, Robert Buhler and his wife, Inez, of Sioux City, James Buhler of St. Paul, Minn., and Ken Buhler and his wife, Mary Hambleton, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a daughter, Miriam Buhler and her husband, Neal Anderson, of Minneapolis, Minn.; two sisters-in-law, Hattie Buhler of El Dorado, Kan., and May Juhnke of McPherson, Kan.; a brother-in-law, Robert Senner of Lawrence, Kan.; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Hazel Buhler; two brothers, Arnold and Frank Buhler; and three sisters, Ann Buhler, Sue McCarty and Stella VanMeter.

Memorial services were held at Grace United Methodist Church. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.