Vivian (Eaton) BUCHAN

EATON, BUCHAN, CLINE, HEATHMAN, SHAW, ASHBY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/17/2008 at 12:53:58

Iowa City, Iowa
Press-Citizen
December 17, 2008

Vivian Eaton Buchan, 97, of Iowa City died Monday, December 16, 2008 at Lantern Park Care Center, Coralville. Funeral Services will be held at 11 am, Thursday, December 18, 2008 at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, Iowa City, with Rev. Lloyd Brockmeyer officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Memorial Cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday from 4 to 6pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Iowa City Animal Center Foundation.

Vivian was born May 19, 1911 in Eagle Grove, Iowa, the daughter of A. LeRoy and Frances Cline Eaton. Vivian was a 1928 graduate of City High School, Iowa City. In 1933 she received her BA in English and Drama from Coe College and in 1958 she received her MA in English from the University of Iowa. Vivian was united in marriage to Warren J. Buchan on September 4, 1933 in Cedar Rapids. Vivian was a gifted educator, author and editor. From 1956 through 1968 she taught in the Rhetoric Programs at the University of Illinois and the University of Iowa. Throughout her career Vivian published over 900 columns, poems, articles and essays in more than 160 national and international publications. Vivian wrote the definitive bibliography of; Sara Teasdale, American Poet. Her books include, Cat Sun Signs, Make Presentations With Confidence and Cat Astrology. Vivian received numerous awards including seven international and national biographies for achievements as a writer, editor, poet and educator; International Woman of the Year (1991) by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England; Intellectuals of the 21st Century (2000); Friend of Education (1991) from the Iowa City School Board; Coe College Merit Award (1983); City High Hall of Fame (1982), first woman inductee.

Vivian was involved with the National League of America Pen Women, the National Federation of Press Women, the National Writer's Club and was an member of two honorary societies, Delta Kappa Gamma and Pi Lambda Theta. She served as the elementary editor for the annual poetry contest sponsored by the Iowa Poetry Assn. for many years. Vivian had served on the Iowa City Public Library Board and was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids. Vivian was an accomplished artist winning awards locally and at the regional level. The Eaton-Buchan Art Gallery at Coe College was dedicated in her honor in 1998.

Vivian is survived by her cousins, Mark and Nancy Heathman of Cedar Rapids and their children Kristy Shaw, Nicky Ashby and Kyle Heathman. In 1988 she was preceded in death by her husband, Warren, and in 1998, her sister Mildred.