Delon Raymond "Buck" Buchholz

Delon Raymond “Buck” Buchholz passed away on July 15, 2024, in Hastings NE.

Private family committal will be held at a later date in the Blue Valley Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Blue Valley Cemetery Association, c/o DaVeta Brader, 1885 East Monument Road, Glenvil, NE 68941. 

Buck was born October 24, 1929, in College View Nebraska to Lonnie D. and Kathryn G. (McGrane) Buchholz in York. He graduated from York High School in 1947. The summer following graduation he and his father worked on a dam construction project near Mancos, CO. 

Upon his return to Nebraska, Buck enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948 and served four years as an Aviation Electronics Technician during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in November 1952 as an Aviation Electronics Technician Second Class.

While home on leave in York in 1950, he met Barbara Spady, a Hastings native who was working along with her sister Jody as telephone operators for Lincoln Telephone Company. The two married on April 15, 1953, upon his discharge from the Navy.

After marrying in York, the couple moved to Cedar Rapids, IA where Buck was employed as a test technician for Collins Radio Company. Son, David and daughter, Jody were born in Cedar Rapids. Barb’s father, John Spady, offered the couple the opportunity to return to Nebraska to farm some of the family land. They returned to Nebraska in October 1956. Son, John was born in Hastings in 1958.

Buck, who was not raised on a farm, was mentored by veteran farmer Darrel Versaw who also farmed some of the Spady land. He farmed raising wheat, corn, and sorghum over his farming career.

Barb and Buck resided near Ayr, where they lived and raised their family from 1956 until Buck retired from farming. They moved to Hastings in September 2012.

Buck served on the Ayr Cemetery Board, Ayr District 53 School Board, and the Board of the First United Methodist Church in Hastings. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, Midwest Lodge 317, and a member of the Scottish Rite and Tehama Shrine. He and Barb could be seen almost daily working out at the Hastings Family YMCA.

Buck was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years Barbara; his sister, Mary Jo Smith of Seattle, WA; parents, Lonnie and Kathryn Buchholz; grandson, Ramey Buchholz; brother-in-law, Richard J. Spady; and sisters-in-law, Norma Spady, Jody Spady Laschanzky, and Christine Spady Barnason.

He is survived by sons, David (Debra) of Lincoln and John (Pam) of Hatteras, NC; daughter, Jody (Tim) Jacobi; grandchildren, Djorn (Angela) Buchholz Corinth, TX, Dane Jacobi and fiancé Bekah Murray of Lincoln, Kaseen Buchholz, Los Angeles CA, and Lloyd Davies Hatteras of NC.