Mrs. Peter Bucher of R.F.D.1, Fairfield, Iowa, a resident of the
Beckwith community passed away October 13, 1968. In addition to her
husband, Mrs. Burcher is survived by one son, Clarence, of Perry,
Iowa, one daughter, Mrs. Dell Robinson, Fairfield; six
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Several brothers and
sisters. She was a member of Mid-West Old Settlers Threshers
Mr. Charles R. Strain, 75, of 1884 Burrowes Drive, Fairborn,
Ohio passed away recently. A former resident of Xenia Mr. Strain
suffered a heart attack at the door of City Hall and was dead on
arrival at the hospital. He was a retired railroader and again
retired in 1959 after 17 years at WPAFB as an operating engineer.
He is survived by a son, Charles R. Strain Jr of Ft. McKinley, and
four grandchildren. He had requested that a notice of his death be
given to Iron Men Album. Sent in by Mrs. Roy Tribbey, 759 Xenia
Ave. Xenia, Ohio.
Paul Clark, a resident of Wallace, Nebraska, was born April 16,
1906, at Sedan, Kansas and passed away at St. Joseph Hospital,
Denver, Colo. on September 17, 1968, age 62 years, 5 months, 11
days. Interment was at Chautaqua Kansas.
He leaves one daughter, Mrs. Betty Olmstead and a granddaughter
of Parsons Kansas.
Paul came to Western Nebraska in 1936. He was a farmer and
followed the harvest with his combines for several years. He had
rebuilt a case Steam Engine and put on several steam threshing
shows at his farm near Brandon, Nebraska and at Wallace at their
annual Fall Festival. He also participated in many other local
steam engine shows and will be greatly missed by his many friends
and neighbors. Courtesy of A.C. Pump, Grant, Nebraska.
Mr. Jesse S. Byers, 82, of Route 2, Littlestown, Penna. passed
away October 30, 1968, at his home. Death was unexpected. Mr. Byers
was the son of the late Mr. & Mrs. William Byers of Carroll
County. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and of the
Steam Historical Society of Westminster, Maryland.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Carrie M. Byers, four children
seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Three brothers and
a sister also survive. Funeral services were held November 1, 1968
at the Little Funeral Home, Littles-town. Sentinby his family, Mrs.
Jesse S. Byers.
Frank L. McGuffin, age 60, a long time resident of 3531 Tea St.
N.W., Washington, D.C., passed away after a short illness on
September 19, 1968. He had moved to Alexandria, Va. a month before
his illness.
Mr. McGuffin was born in Miami, Oklahoma and soon moved to a
farm near Flagstaff, Kansas where he spent his early boyhood days.
He started with steam, first as a water boy but was soon operating
and firing the engine. From that time on he possessed a love for
steam engines. He operated many makes of engines threshing the big
crops of the midwest when steam threshing ‘was in its
heyday.
Mr. McGuffin’s names has appeared many times in the steam
engine magazines –IRON MEN ALBUM, ENGINEERS AND ENGINES, and
WESTERN ENGINES –and often as the author of interesting articles,
frequently using the pen name of FITZ LEE. He also was the
contributor of many pictures. Mr. McGuffin was a life member of
National Threshers Assn. and Mason Dixon Historical Society. He
attended and was an enthuriastic member of several steam engine
clubs in the United States and Canada. He was internationally
known. His life story is well told by Joe Fahnestock as Iron Man of
the Month in the January-February 1968 issue of the IRON MEN ALBUM.
Mr. McGuffin was of the Presbyterian fatih, a Mason and a veteran
of World War I. He is survived by his wife, who has since moved to
1401 Blair Mill Road, Apt. 1016, Silver spring, Md.; his son and
grandchildren of Pottstown, Pa.; and his Mother, who lives in
Witcha, Kansas.
