John Bussman

John Bussman 1924—2016
John F. Bussman died in his home on June 3, 2016. He was born in Monroe, WI., on November 26, 1924, the son of John Bussman of Lucerne, Switzerland and Elizabeth Ruegsegger, whose father, Fred was from Bern. He was the oldest of four children. He grew up on the Town-Line Cheese Factory and the Opie Factory in Lafayette County, WI. He attended West Wayne country school on Highway 11, South Wayne and Gratiot High Schools. He attended the UW-Madison School of Dairy in 1940-41. His family moved to Warren in 1942 when his Father opened a cheese factory. He served in WWII from 1944-1946 in the South Pacific Islands. He was with the 77th Infantry Div. in the Battle of Okinawa. Following WWII, he was in the 11th Airborne Paratroopers in the occupation of Japan. He was awarded the Purple Heart and 3 Battle Stars. He returned home in 1946, joining his father in the cheese business, and became a licensed pilot. He married Hazel Crowley of Steuben, WI on September 23, 1950. From 1951-1958, he farmed and in 1959 he went back into the cheese business with his father. He has made Swiss, American, Italian, Limburger & Apple Jack Cheeses. In 1982 he developed Apple Jack Cheese. He introduced the social hour at the Warren Cheese Factory. The community came to sample his Apple Jack and multiple award winning cheeses.
He was well known for his many cheese making demonstrations in schools, dairy breakfasts, Warren Sesquicentennial, Monroe Cheese Days for 40 yrs, and at the National Mall by Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC (1998). He received numerous cheese awards and blue ribbons including the 1984 Best of Class World Championship String Cheese Award, Illinois State Governors' Award, 1994 Monroe Cheese Days Big Cheese Award. He was the former Director & Vice President of WI Cheesemakers Association, 1996 Monroe Cheese Days Parade Marshall, Monroe Cheese Days Wrestling Champion in 1950 and 1955. In 1993, he was on the steering committee to organize the Historic Cheese Making Center and served as its President for 15 years. He was an active Charter member & former president of Tri-State Tourism; instrumental in forming the Warren Chamber of Commerce as well as past president. From 1970-1976, he wrote the Wickler-Copeland Post-Report by "Your Buddy", a weekly column in the Sentinel Leader. He initiated putting up America flags in downtown Warren for various holidays. He was named Warrens first Citizen of the year and the first Parade Marshall of Pumpkin Festival Parade; Served as Director for Galena Chamber of Commerce; Past Commander of Warren American Legion, and Gratiot VFW; volunteer fireman for Warren Fire Dept., a member of Warren Historical Society, and the Knights of Columbus. He taught CCD for 20 yrs at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Warren. In 1993, he was the first recipient of the Jo Daviess County DHIA (Friend of the Dairy Industry Award); and was honored as the 2001 Conservation Stewardship Award for Jo Daviess county. In 2006, he accepted the highest honor: The Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association Life Member Award. On May 16th, 2013, he received the first Tri-State Tourism "John Bussman Award" that will now be given annually for a business that has made a difference in the tourism industry. He enjoyed hunting, downhill and water skiing, archeology, history, and socializing with friends. He is survived by his 7 children: John (Hans) of Warren, IL; Helen (Steve) Lethlean of LaCrosse, WI; Denise Bussman (Bob Wells) of Middleton, WI; Leila (Peter) Bussman-Yeakel of Mazeppa, MN; Gail (Kurt) Behrenfeld of Cortland, NY; Lisa (Tony) Johnston of Ballground, GA; Fritz (Jules) Bussman of Golden, CO. and 13 grandchildren: Chad and James (Jessica Hembd) Lethlean; Meagan, Adrienne, and Fritz Wells; John, Eric, Mark, and Lana Yeakel; Ashley and Kyle Behrenfeld; Colton and Nadia Johnston, 1 great-grandchild Giovanni Lethlean and longtime friend and companion Glorene Stauffacher. On February 13, 1993, he was proceeded in death by his beloved wife Hazel. He was proceeded in death by infant daughter Rose Elizabeth, his parents and sisters Bernice Benkert, Elizabeth Dubach, and Helen Zeigle. He will be remembered for his jokes, storytelling and Swiss yodeling. He was a kind and generous man who was a friend to all. He was a loving father, grandfather who taught us the importance of family. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 11 a.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Warren, IL. A visitation will be held on Friday, June 10, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Ann's Cemetery. A memorial has been established in his name. Condolences may be sent to the family at leamonfh.com.