James F. Buhr

James “Jack” F. Buhr, Sr., 69, of Pender, NE passed away on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at his home in Pender after a long battle with ALS. The memorial service will be Friday, September 23, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender; Chaplain Rosalind Woods will be officiating. The burial will be at a later date. The memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE. Jack was born July 5, 1947 in Omaha, NE to Herschel and Margret (Spaudling) Buhr. He lived in south Omaha until he joined the U.S. Army in July of 1966. Jack married Kathy Morgan on November 6, 1975, to this marriage brought two sons and a daughter.After three years maintaining tanks in the Army, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served for 19 years as an aircraft electrician. During this time, he served all over the world including tours in Germany, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand, where he supported the Vietnam War. While stationed at Offutt Air Air Force Base for seven years, he flew on the E4, Airborne Command Post during President Jimmy Carter’s presidency. While his seven years at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, he designed and built a piece of equipment to mount in a KC 135 that saved a child’s life. The box was to support medical evacuations. During his Air Force career, he reached the rank of Master Sergeant, and towards the end was Assistant Superintendent of the Ellsworth tanker specialist flight and supervised over 150 people. After retiring from the Air Force in 1988, he worked in construction and maintenance and as a corrections officer for Thurston County. Jack’s favorite past time was fast pitch softball. He was a pitcher in Class A in the Omaha Softball Association. He loved traveling, camping and fishing with his family in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Jack is survived by his wife, Kathy; children, James, Jr. (Leah) Buhr of Huntsville, AL, Nicole (Richard) Tangeman of Pender, NE, P.J. (Emily) Buhr of Omaha, NE; sister, Marlena Minshall of Council Bluffs, IA; sister-in-law, Sandy Buhr of Omaha, NE; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jim and Jean Morgan of Decatur, NE, nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Sherman and Lloyd Buhr; brother-in-law, James Minshall; and parents-in-law, Jim and Evelyn Morgan.