William VanBuskirk

William VanBuskirk was a traditional “meat and potatoes” man who understood the importance of dedication and self-reliance. Those who knew him were privileged to enjoy his love, kindness and dry sense of humor.

In 1918 the United States was beginning to enjoy a brief period of peace and prosperity as World War I finally wound to a close. Meanwhile, Andrew and Ruth VanBuskirk were celebrating the birth of their son William. Born February 12, William was the first born to the young couple. William would only share his life with his mother for nine short years before she passed away, leaving William and his father to care for the rest of the family.

Losing his mother at a young age, William learned to value self-reliance and responsibility. William was dedicated to his family and worked hard to care for them after his mother’s passing. Despite his mother’s death at an early age, William’s life was not full of sorrow. A happy and fun-loving young man, William was always known for his dry sense of humor. Perhaps this is why a good friend decided to introduce him to Mary Palenick. Whatever the reason, William soon fell in love with Mary, and it was not long before he decided to make her his wife, and proposed to her at Johnson Park. Mary, however, had other ideas.

Although Mary loved William very much, she wisely suggested the couple save their money before getting married. Because William was so dedicated to her, he took Mary’s advice, and the couple married after they had established a sizable savings account. William always described his wedding day as the happiest day of his life, and it seemed everything was perfect for the couple; well, almost perfect. It seems that although they were able to buy a new house, they were not able to move in right away because a new highway was going to be built and the house was at risk of being torn down. Luckily, the house was not torn down and the couple was finally able to start their life together.

A responsible man, William was always a good supporter. After getting married, William worked a variety of jobs to support Mary and himself, and was always dedicated to making sure Mary’s needs were met. After serving as a driver in the Army during World War II, William took a job as a semi-driver, something he always loved. Driving a semi allowed William to pursue his passion for traveling and some of his fondest memories included visiting Detroit, Canada, and Chicago with Mary during the early years of the marriage.

Besides being a hard worker, William was also committed to his church. William converted to Catholicism before marrying Mary, and he continued to work at Saints Peter and Paul Church even after having retired from truck driving.

Although William’s work kept him busy, he always found time to relax. William enjoyed traveling, playing bingo and walking his beloved dog Princess downtown to pay his bills. William’s favorite activity in life was sitting on his front porch where he “kept an eye on the neighborhood.” William would often sit for hours enjoying a beer and his camel cigarettes, and much to his dogs’ chagrin, he was also well favored by the neighborhood cats, because he always kept them fed.

Even though William and Mary never had children of their own, they treated their nieces Theresa and Rosemary as daughters. The girls have fond memories of thier trips to the parks and zoos around Michigan. Uncle Bill was always willing to help, whether it be fixing something around their houses or lending a sympathetic ear.

William was an active man right up until his death at the age of 86. William spent the last years of his life devoted to his making his loving wife comfortable before she passed away. As recently as three years ago, William put a new roof on his house and at 86 he still shoveled snow. It was William’s dedication that will be missed most of all, as he was always known as someone who would help a person out.

William is preceded in death by his wife Mary VanBuskirk. Rosemary Crowe will live to remember her loving uncle William, and he will be missed by his good friends Dave and Sue Zeider. William’s family also wishes to extend a warm thank you to Elva and Bruce for their special care.

Friends may meet with William’s family on Sunday from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM at the Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, with the Rosary prayed at 2 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday at 10 AM at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church with Fr. Edward Hankiewicz celebrant, with visitation at the church for one hour prior to the Mass. Interment will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can read William’s life story, order flowers, share a memory, or make a memorial contribution to Sacred Heart Building Fund.