Recipes for Living George and Phebe Buesch

There are people who move into Osceola who make significant contributions. As George said, within their first years of living here, he is not sure when it happened, but a marriage took place between him and Phoebe and Osceola. Since then George has helped build the first Little League ball diamond, was school board secretary for 18 years, and on the Volunteer Fire Department for 15 years. He and Eddy Saylor were among the charter members of the Clarke County Development Corporation and were instrumental in bringing to town Babson Company that manufactured milk tanks, and Iowa American Foundry. George was president of Clarke County Development Corporation from 1979-1981. He was president of the Osceola Chamber of Commerce in 1976 and received the community service award in 1979. George served as president of the Clarke Community Housing that has provided 90 units in West Ward, North Fair, and South View complexes. George was also involved in the South Central Iowa Development Corporation, one of Loral Hullinger’s housing projects. George is a past-president of Rotary, having been a Rotarian for over thirty years and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

One of his biggest endeavors was serving as chairman of the Building Committee for the First Christian Church after their facility burned in 1953. Many long-time residents remember that time clearly. It happened in February during Saturday night and very early Sunday morning. George and Phoebe had been to Burlington and did not follow their usual pattern of driving around town as they returned to their home, which was then on Vine Street. They and many other members of the congregation did not know until morning that fire had completely demolished the church, although residents that lived nearby the church watched in horror as flames destroyed the building and fiery embers fell on roofs and lawns within a several block area. What followed was an amazing show of collaboration. Not only the congregation but the whole community became united in reconstructing a new building. Every congregationCatholic, Lutheran, Methodist, and all- participated. A loss that could not be restored was the entire library of their pastor, Rev. Warren Rile.

While George's name appeared up front in these many involvements, he is the first to acknowledge that all he has done has been with the support and help of Phoebe in their home, raising the boys, and working at Buesch Agency and Banta Abstract for about 30 years.

Both George and Phoebe were born and raised in Burlington. Phoebe was born to James L. and Gretchen Morris, and is a mixture of Scotch, Irish, and Pennsylvania Dutch descent. She has an older and a younger sister and even though both she and George protest that remembering back to childhood is a challenge, Phoebe does concede that she was the one in her family that got into all the trouble. Whenever she did something wrong, her mother chided her by saying, "Mary wouldn’t have done that, "or ''Nancy wouldn't even have thought of doing that."

The problem was that she was a tomboy, and preferred playing football to playing with dolls. She remembers when a bunch of friends went down into a hollow looking for crawdads. Her mother didn't know where she was and she was grounded "for quite awhile." George helped her remember that whenever she went swimming, her mother would say, ''Now don’t drown or you can't go again." Some of Phoebe’s friends had a cabin on the river, and they used to take a boat across to a sandbar, and then swim from it. Phoebe is glad that her mom didn't know everything she did, just as she is sure it is okay that she and George don't know everything their boys did.

Phoebe still remembers one teacher, Miss Vinton, who taught fifth grade geography. She likens her to Theodosia Gripp, who taught Bill in his early school years in Osceola. Just as Miss Vinton had been Phoebe's favorite teacher, Bill had the same regard for Mrs. Gripp. "She was the best teacher I ever had." The first characteristic they mention is strictness, and the second, "She made it so interesting." Phoebe played basketball and baseball in high school but at that time the school had only intramural teams.

Phoebe was not allowed to date until she was 16. George remembers that her first boyfriend was Buss Griffen. Apparently he made a stronger impression on George than on Phoebe, because she doesn't remember him.

George's parents were Ed and Sarah Buesch. George's father's parents both came from Germany when they were young. George's mother's family settled in Ohio. George has an older brother, Jack, and a younger sister, Martha. From early years he remembers a time when he was very upset about something, took the family Dalmatian dog, and ran away. He ran all of two blocks from home and went back. There was another occasion that involved his dad's gas station. At that time, instead of a hoist, there was a hole in the ground to drain oil. As he was riding his bike, George drove into the grease pit and "that didn't go over very big."

George began working at his dad's station as soon as he was old enough. Those were the days of full service and he washed windshields and did other such jobs. He also carried the Burlington Hawkeye Gazette evening papers. In high school he worked on their weekly school newspaper.

George and Phoebe both attended Burlington schools and graduated from high school there a year apart. The first time they met was when George's girl friend was leaving town, and they were both at the going away party. His grief over the parting was short-lived. He and Phoebe soon began dating. Phoebe was a senior in high school and George was in his first year of Burlington Junior College, which was in the same building as the high school. Phoebe remembers feeling quite sophisticated to be going with a "college guy."

George had completed his first year of college when he was called to the service. He was sworn into theNavy V-5 program and three days later, he was called in to be tested for color blindness. He was feeling very confident about his answers but suddenly discovered that what he thought were the right ones actually confirmed that he was color blind. He was unacceptable for the Navy but later was drafted into the Army. In looking back, he thought it was probably just as well because he also couldn't swim and had a fear of water.

George’s basic training was at Camp Crowder, Missouri. His was trained in cryptography, and sent to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, from where he was shipped overseas to Italy. He went through the Po Valley campaign in the northern Apennines campaign, but the major event was processing the Germans' surrender message in late 1944 or early 1945. After peace was declared in Europe, George spent three days in Naples, and was shipped back to the States. He was preparing to go to the Pacific when the war ended. He spent some time lying around in Camp Polk, Louisiana before being discharged April 22, 1946.

While George was in the service, Phoebe took one year of nurse’s training, and then she and a friend went to Kansas City and worked for the telephone company.

George and Phoebe were married in Burlington on April 26, 1946. In those days, young people below the age of 21 had to have their parent's permission. In spite of his years in the service, George's father had to go with him to give permission. His father considered this ridiculous, and true to his German nature, he had no reluctance about saying so, even to those before whom they had to appear.

When he returned from the service, George fmished his second year in Junior College, taking the basic course. George's dad paid him $25 a week for his work at the gas station, and that was supplemented by what the VA (Veteran's Administration) paid. In 1947, they moved to Fort Des Moines and George attended Drake University to study Retail Merchandising. During that time the school offered a work/study program and George worked at Younkers and Montgomery Wards. During his senior year he went to school fulltime and worked at an oil station on the corner of Fleur and Grand in Des Moines.

George graduated in January 1949, a time similar to now when there weren't many jobs. He went to work at Rukarbers Hardware Store in Washington, Iowa for $45 a week. His comment, "That is what the college degree did for us." That same year they moved to Grinnell to work in another hardware store. It was then that George's brother heard of an opening at Robinson’s Store in Osceola. He came for an interview, decided not to take the job but told George about it. That led to the move to Osceola, when George took the job.

George worked only five months for Rich Robinson and went to work for Ernie Garris and Ray Overholtzer. Ernie had the abstract business and Ray, real estate and insurance. George and Phoebe consider their move to Osceola the best thing that ever happened. In contrast to other places they had lived, they found Osceola to be a very friendly community. It was easy to become acquainted. Some of the first people they met were Ruth and Emil Rinderspacher. Bayard and Pauline Shadley lived across the street. They discovered that Bayard and George had been at Drake at the same time, but they hadn't known them until they moved to Osceola. They started going to the Christian Church because Bud and Lee Wilder called on them. They lived in an apartment above Fannie Nuzum, across the street from the Washington Park apartments, where they live now.

They have lived a number of places. From the first apartment, they moved into their first house east of Saylor's Realty on McLane, then to Vine Street, where they first had television. They traded that house for the big house at 316 South Fillmore. When the Showalters came to town with IPM (Inner Peace Movement), George showed Carl a number of houses then drove back to his residence. Carl asked who lived there-it was exactly what he was looking for. So George and Phoebe sold it and moved to 116 West McLane. From there they moved to the corner of May and Park Streets, then to the Handley place on highway 152, then to a house on East Ayers where Dennis Chaney's folks lived. They sold it and moved into an apartment above
122 West Jefferson. At that time the Cothern Law Offices were on the ground floor. The steps proved too difficult and they are now happily settled in the Washington Park apartments.

More recently, for about six years, George and Phoebe have gone to Flagler Beach in Florida, to the same park where Phoebe's older sister, Mary, and her husband, Vernon, lived. It is on the east side of the state, halfway between St. Augustine and Daytona. They stayed one full year during which time George had "a little stroke." They sold their mobile home, but they returned to be with Mary and Vernon after their oldest daughter returned to the States from Germany. The daughter died from cancer and George and Phoebe went down to spend from November through March to help Mary and Vernon get ready to move back to New London. That was the last time they were in Florida. They met a lot of nice people there, but George
quoted Kate McKee who used to say, "There are no friends like old friends."

George worked for Ernie Garris and Ray Overholtzer from May 1, 1950 to January 1, 1960, when he contract-purchased the abstract business. He and Olin Monroe moved into the building that is now the Reynoldson Law Firm, which had been Kilmar-Reynoldson. When Olin died, George bought his share from Olin's widow, Florence, and stayed in that building until 1969, when he bought their present building at 108 East Washington.

Bill was born during the time George was in his second year in junior college, and Phoebe stayed home to take care of him. Rick was born in 1951 and Ed in 1955. Because Phoebe has RH negative blood factor, two sons were stillborn-Robert Seiler in 1949, while they were living in Grinnell, and David Allen, born March 13, 1951. People have attempted to console the parents saying that it is better to lose them before they are grown, but the question remains what it would have been like to hold them. Everett Miller had the funeral home in Osceola and helped George and Phoebe with graveside services. David is buried in Maple Hill, Robert in the family plot in Burlington.

With the help of Dr. Boden, George and Phoebe adopted Rick in August 1951. He was born at 7:00 a.m. and they had him by 12:00 noon. Ed was born after David, and he also has RH negative blood, so his and Phoebe's were compatible.

Bill started school at East Elementary. There was a memorable incident when he was in first grade. One of the big events was a pet show. The current Catholic priest, Father Deere, was the judge. Bill took his pet cat, an old mother cat that kept having babies. A question Fr. Deere asked was what tricks their pets could do. Bill's answer was, "She has kittens all the time."

Through the years, Bill had many pets in a wide variety-rabbits, gerbils, and several dogs. There was room for them all in their large home on Fillmore, except for the snake he brought home and put on the roof of the back porch.

Bill transferred to West Ward at a time when the building was so dilapidated that dismissal of classes had to be staggered because the building would shake if they all went at the same time. Bill particularly remembers his teacher, Maxine Woods. She was of the "old school," a teacher that cared, had high expectations, and brought out the best in the kids. She really made an impression on him

Bill was in the first freshman class in the new high school building. He was a good student, on the B honor roll. School was easy for him. He was quite the envy of schoolmates because he had a little car in high school. Kenny Wilder has it now. All three boys had paper routes as they were growing up. Additionally, Bill and Larry Squires set up bread displays for stores throughout town. They would go before school in the mornings and after school go back to the stores to count the bread and leave a note indicating the sales for the truck driver. Bill also worked for Kenny Persels in the filling station on East McLane.

After graduation, Bill went to Iowa State University, but a case of mononucleosis prevented his graduation. He worked for George doing abstract work for 15 to 20 years. He married Connie Smith from New Sharon, who was a friend of Vicki White, formerly of Osceola. At the present time, Bill has had to take a medical retirement. He and Connie live in Aurora, Colorado. They had one son, Sean, who lives in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He has two daughters, Alyssa and Krystianna.

Rick's teacher, Mrs. Wohlenzine, said of him when George and Phoebe attended a parent/teacher conference, "Rick makes the class interesting." Rick was always getting into trouble. When he was about three years old, he had a little tractor. One morning, Bill Myers, who had a car dealership, called to tell George that he might want to rescue his son. Rick had followed his dad to work and rode his little red tractor up the middle of Main Street. Every morning George took him to the next-door Porterfield lot and told him that was as far as he could go. He would say, "Yes, Dad," but as soon as George was out of sight, away he would go. George and Phoebe are grateful for good neighbors who watched over him.

During his high school years and after graduation from Clarke Community High School, Rick worked for Shad (Bayard Shadley) at Osceola Drug Store until he went to Iowa Wesleyan College, where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Rick married Sheryl Glover from Mt. Pleasant and they have two children, Jon and Jenny. Jenny will graduate from Central Community College in Pella in the spring of 2003.

Rick went to work for George in the insurance business in 1978 and is still there. He has been very involved in the restoration of the depot in Osceola, and both have served as president of the Clarke County Development Corporation.

If Ed had been born first, the Buesches are not sure they would have had more children. He was allergic to everything. He had asthma, and had his tonsils removed when he was 18 months old. They remember, after the surgery, when the doctor asked him what he wanted - ice cream, perhaps, or something to drink, he said, "Just a cup of coffee."

Ed outgrew his asthma and became an ordinary little boy, an average student. His primary extra-curricular activity was in swing choir. Kelly Young was their director, and they toured Iowa and Nebraska. Like his brothers, he carried papers, and he worked for HyVee and for Emil "Rindy" Rinderspacher in the SuperValu Store when it was on the northwest corner of the square.

While he was still in high school, Ed enlisted in the Air Force and served four years. His parents didn't know he had enlisted until after he'd graduated. Rick had taken Ed to Des Moines and they tried to get him to enlist as well, but he would have no part of it. Ed was stationed at Offut Air Base in Omaha, where he met Mireya Reyna. They were married in Panama on January 11 and have now (in 2003) been married 28 years. They have two boys, George and Brian. George graduated from North Central Community College in Ft. Dodge, and Brian will graduate from Iowa State University in the spring of 2003.

Miry has become a very popular babysitter, and is an interpreter for Mexican people at the hospital and with law enforcement officers. Ed is employed at the Osceola Sentinel Tribune.

(Insert by the editor: Producing the Recipes for Living books involves many functions, many hours, and many people. Co-editor, Mickey Thomas, shares the payment for the commercial covers. There are approximately 60 sheets of paper per book, 130 copies, which requires about 16 reams of paper. Dr. C. E. and Margaret Tindle have bought the paper. The pages must then be duplicated and collated. The latter process has been done at the Sentinel office, on a table built at the appropriate height. The stacks of pages are laid out and Jean Samuelson and Fern Underwood walk around and around the table assembling the books page by page.

George had remarked that Ed had his grandfather's sense of humor and Fern treasures the memory of a time when it had not been possible to finish the collating in one day. The stacks of pages were left to be finished the next morning. Ed was there as she walked in, and she expressed disappointment, saying that she had hoped elves would have come in during the night to complete the work. Without a moment's hesitation, Ed said, "Actually they did. I came in this morning and everything was done, but I said to them, 'Fern left those pages exactly the way she wanted them. Now, put them back!' So they did." Those are moments we relish, aren't they? They are what gives work its lightness.)