Robert Bruce Buckman died peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 11, 2024.
Bob was 86; born Feb. 19, 1938, the son of Charles Robert and Bertha (Thompson) Buckman. He graduated from West Liberty High School and served in the US Army stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey and Army Reserves. He married Judy Weinard in 1961 and moved to Morning Sun in ’63 to the home built by his grandfather, W.A. Thompson.
They raised two daughters Angie and Heidi, and later divorced. Bob was employed in ag-related fields all his life. First as a farmer with his father. He was the operator of the Oscar Mayer hog station in Morning Sun from 1963 until they discontinued operations in the late 70’s. He then worked at the Wapello Elevator. In January 1982 the Iowa State Bank in Morning Sun offered a position as their Ag Loan Officer. He retired from the bank after 21 years in 2003. Robert met Paula Buster Carr in 1980 at the Wapello Elevator when she was buying rabbit food. They married in 1987 and shared 37 years together.
Bob was an active community member. He served on the Morning Sun Fire Department, was a member of the Morning Sun Lions Club, he coached little league, was a school board member, and served as treasurer for Louisa County Habitat for Humanity and the Pork Producers.
He was a long-time board member of Mutual Telephone/Louisa Communications and served as the board president. Bob performed with the Old Keck Theater Players and sang with Hal Cross’s Keck Men’s Chorus for 20 years. He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in Morning Sun and had served as a Deacon and Elder. In 2022, the community elected Bob as Morning Sun’s “Citizen of the Year”.
He will be greatly missed by his wife, Paula; daughters, Angie Buckman of Morning Sun and Heidi (Jack) Hedgecock of New London; grandkids, Alexandria and Joseph Hedgecock; step-daughters, Lora (Steve) Earnest of Wapello and Lisa (Chuck) Johnson of Kalona; grandkids, C.J. Earnest, Logan Wadsworth and Lexy (Jaemin) Powell and great granddaughter, Elliana; sisters, Carole (Dale) Ewald of Prescott, AZ and Sandra Ballou of Wilton and nieces and nephews.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Richard Ballou and niece, Carrie Ewald.
Visitation will be held Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services of Wapello. On Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Morning Sun Community Center, the family will have a brief reception at 3:30 p.m. with Memorial service at 4 p.m. A Celebration of Bob’s life will follow the service.
The family has designated the following organizations for memorial gifts: The Morning Sun Fire Department, Morning Sun Ambulance, Morning Sun Community Center and First United Presbyterian Church.