Buford Floy

Buford Eugene Floy, 81, Thornton, Iowa, died Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at the Rockwell Community Nursing Home.

A memorial service for Buford was held Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with Reverend Derik Yarian officiating.  Inurnment will be held at a later date.  

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in his name.

As per Buford’s request his body was cremated.  

Buford was born on March 21, 1931 the son of Wilhelm and Mildred (Hansen) Floy and was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of his baptism through confirmation at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thornton, and graduated from Thornton High School.  He attended Iowa State College and Hamilton School of Commerce.  He was inducted into the Army on Nov. 20, 1951 in Des Moines, and serviced his country honorably and faithfully during the Korean conflict on Cheje-do Island in the Military Police for the POW camp until his honorable discharge on Oct. 29, 1953.  Following his discharge he began his 39 year career in agriculture raising corn, soy beans and pork production and was a conscientious steward of the land, restoring prairie and wetland, planting wildlife habitat and food plots, and planting hundreds of trees and shrubs.  

He was united in marriage to Susan Giesfeldt on Nov. 27, 1954, at Memorial Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wis.  Buford served on the board of directors for the Thornton Coop, the Meservey-Thornton School board, the Cerro Gordo County Extension Board.  Along with several other pork producers, he was instrumental in the organizing of the Cerro Gordo County Pork Producers Association, and was a strong promoter of pork. He was also on the Soil and Water Conservation Board during which time he headed up the C.L.E.A.R. Project.  He was active in the St. Paul Lutheran Church serving as usher for over 20 years, and was on the church council and sang in the choir.  

In retirement his passions were hunting pheasants on his restored prairie and water fowl on a reconstructed wet land with his dogs, as well as being an avid member of Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited.  He spent time fishing in Canada, gardening, and training his hunting dogs.  Together with his wife he enjoyed attending 25 Elderhostel’s, traveling to California and Germany and skiing in Colorado.

Those left to cherish his memory is his wife of 58 years, Susan of Thornton; daughters, Barbara (David) Laidlaw of San Jose, Calif., Angela Floy of Bloomington, Ind., and Rebecca (Tom) Spence of San Rafael, Calif.; son, Thomas Floy of Thornton; grandchildren, Joshua and Emily Spence; a sister, Sandra Teggatz; and several nieces, nephews, as well as other extended family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by parents, Wilhelm and Mildred Floy; brother, Reverend Robert Floy; brother-in-laws, Eugene Teggatz and Ralph Giesfeldt.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.