Elder Cyrus Bucher, aged and highly respected citizen, died at his home in Astoria, Friday at 9:45 p.m., after a prolonged illness, aged 75 years, 5 months and 24 days. His death was not a surprise to his family and many friends as he had been failing rapidly for the past few months.
The deceased was the son of Ezra and Elizabeth Bucher and was born July 28, 1845 near Cornwall, Lebanon county, Penn. He grew to manhood in that state and was married to Miss Barbara Dohner, Aug. 29, 1867. To this union two children were born, Barbara, who died in infancy and Mrs. Martin Wickert. Mrs. Bucher died, March 1st, 1870.
On. Nov. 27, 1870, Mr. Bucher was married to Miss Leah Gibble and to this union were born 13 children, twin boys dying in infancy, and Mrs. Leah Stambaugh at the age of 24 years. Besides his aged and loving wife he leaves to mourn his death eleven children as follows: Mrs. Martin Wickert of near Ipava, Samuel G. Bucher, Mrs. I. H. Bucher, Mrs. S. J. C. Senger, Mrs. J. E. Bubb, Mrs. G. H. Stambaugh, Cyrus G. Bucher, Jr., all of Woodland township, Mrs. J. L. Blickenstaff of near Sheldons Grove, Harvey S. and Ezra G. of Astoria and Mrs. Cleveland Lamb of Astoria township, Mrs. Forest Eisenbise of Beatrice, Nebr., also E. H. Keefer of Smithfield, whom he took into his home at the age of three years and reared to manhood.
Mr. Bucher was the proud possessor of a large family. He is survived by 73 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, in all a family tree of 105 members. He is also survived by one brother, Christian Bucher of Reistville, Penn.
At the age of 17 he began teaching school in his home district, teaching during the winter and working on the farm in summer. In all he taught seven terms. After his marriage he moved on his father’s farm near Reistville, Penn., where he lived for twelve years. In the year 1882, he moved to Astoria. Shortly afterwards he bought the Dr. J. V. Hopkins farm east of Astoria, where he resided until 1906, when he moved to Astoria where he resided at the time of his death.
Mr. Bucher was very much interested in fruit growing and at one time had a 76-acre orchard, the largest in the county. When the Peoples’ State Bank was organized in 1890, he was one of the charter members and has been connected with that institution ever since, serving most of the time as a member on the board of directors, being second vice-president at the time of his death.
At various times Mr. Bucher was interested in business enterprises in Astoria. At one time he owned the Astoria Telephone Exchange and a greater part of the stock in the electric light plant.
One of his greatest delights was to help young men to get a start in life, as a number in this community can testify. Mr. Bucher was a man of sterling business qualities, public spirited and unselfish. “Another one of our big men gone, one of those men of a sturdy class, a class of their own. They make history and leave a legacy of knowledge for future generations.” His advice was much sought both in business and church work and will be greatly missed.
His religious life is unquestioned. In the Spring of 1868 he united with the Church of the Brethren. He was a man of strong convictions and was not afraid to stand for them. In 1881 he was elected Deacon of the church, which place he filled for two years, after which he was advanced to the ministry and in 1904 was ordained to the eldership, serving as a minister for 37 years and as elder 16 years. He was elder of the Woodland church for two years, resigning at the end of this time to make room for another. In 1908 he was re-elected as their elder and served for four years. As in business, so it was in church work, under his guidance it prospered.
Rev. Bucher was much interested in Sunday school work. He organized a school in his home church, Heidleburg, Penn., which was in a flourishing condition when he left there in 1882. There not being many Sunday schools in the brotherhood there at that time. He made an effort to organize one in Woodland, but the privilege was denied so in the spring of 1885 a school was organized at the Mulberry school house with I. M. Switzed as superintendent. The next year it was conducted in the Woodland church. From that time on other Sunday schools of the church were organized in this community.
For seven years, Rev. Bucher has been supporting a native missionary worker in the India field. He attended thirty-two annual meetings, having missed only three since 1887. His christian life is reflected in his children and grandchildren, 48 of whom belong to the church of his choice, three being in the ministry and three serving as deacons.
His health was exceptionally good having suffered very little sickness until Feb. 3, 1920, when he was stricken with the influenza. After recovering he was left with a “leaky” heart, which developed into dropsy. All was done that skilled physicians and loving hands could do, but all in vain. He suffered little pain, but gradually grew weaker until the end. He realized what the outcome of his disease would be.
On June 2nd he called for the anointing. He often expressed a desire to go “home.” During his sickness he was patient and often when the hours grew long he would spend the time in singing his favorite hymn.
“There is an hour of peaceful rest,
To mourning ones ’tis given,
There is a place for souls distressed
’Tis found alone in Heaven.
Holy angels in their flight and travel o’er earth and sky,
Acts of kindness their delight, winged with mercy as they fly;
Don’t you hear the angels coming, coming over hill and plane —
O, don’t you hear the angels coming singing as they come?
O, hear me, angels, angels bear me home.”
“He so lived, that when the summons came for him to join the innumerable caravan which moves to the mysterious realm, where each shall take his chamber in the silent halls of death, he went not like the quarry-slave at night, scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed by an unflattering trust, approaching his grave, like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams.”
Funeral services were held at the Church of the Brethren, Astoria at 10:30 Monday, conducted by Elder W. T. Heckman of Cerro Gordo, assisted by Elder A. H. Lind.
Burial in Woodland cemetery.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus