Buller, Harold W. (1922-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Jan 16 p. 7

Birth date: 1922 Dec 2

text of obituary:

Nebraska hospital chaplain dies

By Mennonite Weekly Review staff

BEATRICE, Neb. — Harold W. Buller, a longtime hospital chaplain, died Jan. 4 at age 83.

Buller was chaplain at Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center for 35 years, beginning in 1960. He also was a former pastor and Mennonite Central Committee worker.

A graduate of Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., the Biblical Seminary in New York and Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary, Buller married Anne Wiebe in 1947. They served with MCC doing postwar relief work in Europe for three years, starting in 1948. During this time, Buller was European area MCC director.

Returning to the United States, Buller served as pastor of Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton, Kan., and then of First Mennonite Church in Beatrice.

In addition to his pastoral work, Buller was an artist, writing in a variety of forms from poetry to meditations to drama and creating sculptures and woodwork pieces.

He served on the Commission on Education of the General conference Mennonite Church and on various Western District Conference committees.

Born Dec. 2, 1922, near Chinook, Mont., the son of Peter J. and Anna Wiens Buller, he was baptized in 1935 in the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church at Mountain Lake, Minn.

Buller is survived by his wife, Anne; two sons, Paul of Goshen, Ind., and Glenn of Bluffton, Ohio; a daughter, Mary Ann Triller of Waterloo, Ont.; three brothers, Peter of Goshen, Ind., Clarence of Colorado springs, Colo., and Henry of Augusta, Ga.; two sisters, Edna Gerber of Mountain Lake, Minn., and Shirley Newman of Carthage, Mo.; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at First Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Mennonite cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Jan 23 p. 8

text of obituary:

HAROLD W. BULLER

Harold W. Buller, 83, of Beatrice, Neb., died Jan. 4, 2006. He was born Dec. 2, 1922, to Peter J. and Anna (Wiens) Buller near Chinook, Mont.

He was baptized in 1935 in the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church of Mountain Lake, Minn. He graduated from Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., the Biblical Seminary in New York City and Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary, followed eventually by a period of Clinical Pastoral Education.

He married Anne Wiebe on Aug. 22, 1947. In 1948 they entered post-World War II relief work for three years in Europe under Mennonite Central Committee, where he also served as European area MCC director. He was then pastor at Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton and at First Mennonite Church of Beatrice. In addition to the pastorates and membership on various conference committees, he served on the Commission on Education for the General Conference Mennonite Church for 15 years, chairing it for six years, during which time he also served on the General Conference Mennonite Church Board of Administration.

In 1960 he began a 35-year term as chaplain of Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center. During the final 10 years, Anne joined him as an assistant. He felt he was the church’s representative for Christ in a healing ministry.

He was a passionate artist. He expressed himself through writing poetry, articles and meditations, sculpting, writing and performing dramas, and woodworking. After retirement at age 72, his life continued to be filled with service in church and community and the joy of relating to children, grandchildren and many dear friends.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Anne; two sons, Paul and his wife, Deb, of Goshen, Ind., and Glenn and his wife, Judy, of Bluffton, Ohio; a daughter, Mary Anne Triller and her husband, Barry, of Waterloo, Ont.; three brothers, Peter of Goshen, Clarence of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Henry of Augusta, Ga.; two sisters, Edna Gerber of Mountain Lake, Minn., and Shirley Newman of Carthage, Mo.; and four grandchildren.