Buffum, Joseph W. 1910-1983

BUFFUM, BARR, SLAGEL, KINGSLEY, SAMMON, ELLIOTT

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/2/2010 at 10:01:04

Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa)

RITES HELD FOR MR. BUFFUM

Joseph W. Buffum, 72, of 934 East St., Grinnell, died Saturday evening, May 21, at Grinnell General Hospital.

Funeral services were conducted at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Carl E. Kingsley of Green Lake, Wis., and the Rev. Robert C. Smith of the Grinnell First Baptist Church officiating. Organist was Kathleen Heffner.

Pallbearers were Leo Ahrens, Wilson Beaty, Roger Burns, Wayne Gropper, Arthur Grosenbach, John Higdon, Kenneth Iske and Shirley Puls. Honorary bearers were Wilbur Allen, Gordon Felper, Robert Henderson, Kevin Hobbs, James Lynch, Kenneth L. Saunders, Alvin Sheeler and Richard Zobel. Burial was at Hazelwood Cemetery.

Memorials in Mr. Buffum's name may be made to the Variety Club of Iowa and left at the Smith Funeral Home.

The son of Seth A. and Elizabeth Barr Buffum, he was born Dec. 31, 1910, in Hickory Grove Township, Jasper County. He attended Montezuma Schools and graduated from Montezuma High School.

Mr. Buffum worked as a carrier for the U.S. Postal service. On Dec. 25, 1936, he was married to Gladys S. Slagel at Tipton. Mr. and Mrs. Buffum lived in Grinnell where he operated the Colonial Oil Co. from 1939 to 1943. In 1943 he purchased the White Spot Cafe, operating it until 1958. He owned and operated the Grinnell Bowladrome since 1958. He was a member of the Iowa State Bowling Proprietors Association, B.P.O. Elks Lodge No. 1266 of Grinnell, and past trustee of the Eagles Lodge, Aerie 2545, of Grinnell.

He is survived by his wife, Gladys; his children, Gary W. Buffum of Pittsfield, Mass., and J. Sue Buffum, Linda K. Kingsley, Becky A. Buffum and James W. Buffum, all of Grinnell; six grandchildren; and his sister, Frances M. Sammon of Grinnell. He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Betty Jo Buffum; and a sister, Mary Elliott.