Buzzard, Joseph R. (1907-2002)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Jul 8 p. 8

Birth date: 1907 Jul 30

text of obituary:

JOSEPH R. BUZZARD

Joseph R. Buzzard, 94, of Goshen, Ind., died Dec. 25, 2001, at Greencroft Retirement Community. He was born July 30, 1907, to A.L. and Cora Shoemaker Buzzard in Washington, Ill.

He grew up in central Illinois, graduated from Metamora High School in 1925, attended Goshen College one year and taught country school for two years. He moved with his family to Indiana and began working in the office of Elkhart Packing Company, where he became head bookkeeper and office manager for 24 years.

He married Nellie Nusbaum in 1932.

He was active at Prairie Street Mennonite Church and many civic and churchwide organizations. He was on the Elkhart Symphony board and the Exchange Club of Elkhart. In 1954 the family moved to Scottdale, Pa., where he was treasurer of Mennonite Publishing House until he retired.

In Scottdale he was president of the Rotary Club, was on the Scottdale YMCA board and the Frick Community Hospital board. He served Scottdale Mennonite Church as treasurer, sang in the choir and was on the board of trustees. He served on the Mennonite General Board and Mennonite Board of Missions, the Little Eden Camping Association and was treasurer of the Laurelville Mennonite Camp Association and Allegheny Mennonite Conference.

In 1978 he moved to Greencroft Retirement Community. His hobbies included reading, travel, photography, woodcarving, painting and music. He combined these in his slide/tape programs using slides with Scripture, poetry and music. He sang in men's quartets in college, at Prairie Street, Scottdale and with the Singing Grandpas at Greencroft.

Survivors include two children, Gerald and his wife, Nina, and Eileen Roth and her husband, Royce; two sisters, Lois Yoder and Ruth Hemingway; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren and two step-great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nellie, in 1999; an infant son, two sisters and two brothers.