Bob Buser, class of 1956

"I am certain you remember Bob Buser (class of 56.) Yesterday evening he was at the Shell station. Bought a cup of hot chocolate, had a heart attack and died. That's all the details I have. No obit in the paper yet. Will keep you updated.

We saw Bob mainly in the Summer. He was announcer and sound technicion for the Kable Band. Had not heard of him having any medical problems. He and Sylvia sat together at Sara's mothers funeral a couple months back." Dave and Sylvia

Update: Rockford Register Star, Dec. 25, 2008: Robert E. Buser, 70, of Mount Morris died Monday, Dec. 22, 2008. He was a lifelong resident of Mount Morris. The oldest son of Gail and Harriet (Conrad) Buser, born July 26, 1938. He was a graduate of MMHS, class of 1956, and went on to the University of Illinois, getting a degree in mechanical engineering. Later he returned to achieve his master's degree. He loved the Illini and stayed connected by his work on the Engineering Alumni board. Bob was also involved with the Kable Concert Band. He announced the band for the past 25 years. He was on the board of the Mount Morris Senior Center, and he would never miss the Fourth of July parade in his blue 1950 Dodge truck with the Dixie band. Many may remember Bob in his famous black and white 1953 Ford that took him to Rockford every day, over 600,000 miles, and earned him a Phillips 66 Trop Arctic radio commercial and a spot on WGN-TV. Bob worked for Sundstrand Aviation and then Hamilton Sundstrand for 43 years. He worked an additional two-year contract to finish a pet project, the F22 Raptor. He loved his job and the places it took him, and the people he met and worked with. Family was very important to Bob. He is survived by his fiance, Doreen White of Mount Morris; brothers, Frederic (Rita) Buser of Byron and Charles (Deborah) Buser of Leaf River; niece, MaryAnn (Rich Akers) Fredericks of Milledgeville, Anne (Mike) Felton of Norcross, Ga., Kaila (Jim) Slade of Hanover, Amy Buser of Missoula; nephew, Nathaniel (Amy) Buser of Byron; one great-niece; four great-nephews; cousin, Gretchen Diab of Mount Morris; and aunt, Elva Buser of Mount Morris. Funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29, in Finch Funeral Home, with the Rev. Larry Jameson officiating. Burial in Adeline Cemetery in Adeline. Visitation from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28, in Finch Funeral Home in Mount Morris. Memorials have been established for Kable Concert Band and the Mount Morris Senior Center Elevator Fund.

Class of 1959 Reunion site

Don Snodgrass has created a really nice website for information about the 50th class reunion of the Mt. Morris class of 1959 here. I've added a link to it over at the left.

Class of 1958 holds 50th reunion

Recognize anyone?

Forreston's class of 1957

You may recognize some of these folks--15 miles down the road from us. The guys were probably on the sports teams, and I know some of the girls were cheerleaders. I don't know if Forreston had a football team, or golf and tennis teams then, but they did play some mean basketball, defeating the Mounders 60 to 44 in the '56-57 season with Mt. Morris defeating Forreston 75 to 72 in the '55-56 season, according to our yearbooks.

Sylvia and I could recognize the same three people. Carolyn now lives in Mt. Morris and has for many years; JoElla is Sylvia's cousin and my college roommate; and Geneva used to be a member of our class (I think she moved in 6th grade). Sylvia reports the photo appeared in the Ogle Co. Life, but I haven't located it online. The rest of the class went to Maxon's for dinner, that's why the group is a bit small. They obviously didn't have our excellent committee to corral them!!

Where did you live in high school?

Home on Hannah Avenue
My parents owned this home from 1951-1958, then moved to Lincoln Street until 1996 when they moved to the Pinecrest Apartments. However, it was the third house Dad bought in Mt. Morris that year. It was his habit to buy a home for his family sight unseen by my mother. I think she got tired of remodeling old clunkers, and said NO to the nice new home in the Carr Addition on the east side of town because she thought it was too small. So then he bought a new two story on the east end of Lincoln Street, but it was too small also. So he traded that home with DeKonings who lived in the lovely big old house on Hannah Avenue. It also had room for Dad's truck since it had a large barn/garage, a full basement, full attic, 4 bedrooms, and a den/office that doubled as a music room.

This was a great "kid" house. Within two blocks of us lived the Mayos, Bearmans, Stevens, Davies, Dohlens, Zumdahls, Priemers, Sweets, and Knowles, although not all at the same time. It had a tree in the front yard (not in photo) that was perfect for climbing, and I staked my horse in the back acre. Mom had a huge garden (although that wasn't so great for kids because we had to help) and for awhile we even had chickens (loose zoning). For slumber parties, I took over the living room and Dad's office/music room, and my sister Carol had hers (with Rabbit, Ole, Chickie, Mary Lynn and others whose names I've forgotten) in the attic which had a high pitch and windows on 3 sides. I could have the whole CBYF group (probably 20 kids or so) on the front porch. When Tina K. moved to Florida after our junior year, I had all the girls in the class of 57 in the living room for a good-bye party. Different groups used our barn for floats. I can't identify this one (there were 4 children in our family in high school in the 50s), don't think it was a class float, but perhaps an organization. If it wasn't built in our barn, I have no idea why I have the photo. Can you identify it?

Mt. Morris Boy Scouts

This photo was probably taken in either 1951 or 1952 because they all seem to be pre-adolescent. I count six members of the class of 1957. Two were in the class of 1956 and two class of 1958--if my memory serves--and if often doesn't.


Quiz: Do you remember the name of the scout leader? Where was this photo taken? Who was the den mother when they were in Cub Scouts?


class of 1957
Boy Scouts
Mt. Morris, Illinois