Terry K. (TK) Buening of Monroe, passed away Monday, October 26, 2009 at home following a recent battle with (pancreatic) cancer. He leaves behind his beloved wife Mary, family, and many close friends in the community. Terry was born in Galena, Illinois, November 2, 1939, to Dale and Wilma Buening. He attended Galena schools, graduating in the Galena High School Class of '57.
He married the love of his life, Mary Elizabeth Milz on May 2, 1981 at St. Victor Catholic Church in Monroe.
He is survived by Mary's family: Pat (Lee) Rood; John (Jo) Milz, Donna (Don) Knouse; Don Milz; Kathy (Jim) Hartwig and several nieces and nephews. Terry's sister-in-law Nancy Buening, sister Beverly Wood, and aunt Betty Willy also survive him.
He is survived by three children from a previous marriage: Tracy, Adam, and Wendy, and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother Ronald, his uncle Glen W. Buening; mother and father-in-law, John and Marie Milz; sister-in-law, Joan Milz; and brother-in-law, James Milz.
Terry was a much respected member of the Monroe business community, and worked in advertising for almost 50 years. He enjoyed the creativity of his work, and its freedom, and spending time with his companion Mary. His interests were many and varied: reading, photography, sketching, fishing, traveling, computers, stamp/coin collecting, and bicycling, beer drinking and good conversation.
His volunteer civic and organizational activities included: The Monroe Chamber of Commerce; chair of the American Red Cross Green County Chapter; chair of the March of Dimes Green County; the United Fund; Loyal Order of the Moose, Lodge #754.
TK attended Bayless Business College in Dubuque after graduating from high school and started his newspaper career at the Telegraph Herald in Dubuque. From 1961-to-1965 his career took a brief intermission as he spent four years in the USAF as part of the Strategic Air Command stationed in Detroit and Lincoln, NE. He attended the University of Nebraska while in Lincoln. Later, he was the Advertising Director of the Monroe Evening Times, and General Manager of the weekly newspaper, The United Country Courier. Afterwards he became a Marketing Consultant to the Small Business Development Center for the state of Iowa.
For the last 29 years he has been the owner/operator of the well-known, successful advertising business in Monroe called ADvize.
He was a kind man with a positive disposition, soft-spoken, with a sense of humor and twinkle in his eye. He was a true gentleman, polite, courteous and warm. He was a good husband, father and friend, and a familiar sight around town, and he will be deeply missed.
Asked to sum up his feelings for his 50th high school reunion in Galena, he wrote:
"Picture Galena - me as a young boy growing up in a community that was safe, quiet, secure and trouble free. I don't think one could have found a better, more wonderful place to grow up. Those years were great - Watching the Steam Engine Trains chugging through Galena's East side; Stanley Lee's Movie Theatre; the Fair Grounds swimming pool; the L & L Café; Auman's Pool Hall - the roller rink in Turner Hall; my 46' Chevrolet four door, liberated from the local junk yard for $125 - It doesn't get any better than that."
"Somewhere maybe we all go back to that - a perfect time, when all was right with the world."
Godspeed, TK.
[Quotation from the book The Lord of the Rings. In this scene, one of the hobbits is talking to Gandalf the Wizard'the two are trapped by a large army on either side and are in the middle of a terrible battle, and have no way out. Death appears imminent.]
Hobbit: (sadly) "I didn't think it would end this way."
Gandalf: (With surprise) "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path - one that we all must take. The gray rain curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver clouds. And then you see it."
Hobbit (turning to Gandalf hopefully): "What Gandalf? See what?"
Gandalf: "White shores. And beyond - a far green country, under a swift sunrise."
We'll see you again in a far green country, TK, with a swift sunrise.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2009, at Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home, Monroe. Officiating Monsignor Thomas Campion, with burial in Calvary Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Friday, from 4-to-7 p.m. at the funeral home. A memorial fund is being established in Terry's memory.
He married the love of his life, Mary Elizabeth Milz on May 2, 1981 at St. Victor Catholic Church in Monroe.
He is survived by Mary's family: Pat (Lee) Rood; John (Jo) Milz, Donna (Don) Knouse; Don Milz; Kathy (Jim) Hartwig and several nieces and nephews. Terry's sister-in-law Nancy Buening, sister Beverly Wood, and aunt Betty Willy also survive him.
He is survived by three children from a previous marriage: Tracy, Adam, and Wendy, and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother Ronald, his uncle Glen W. Buening; mother and father-in-law, John and Marie Milz; sister-in-law, Joan Milz; and brother-in-law, James Milz.
Terry was a much respected member of the Monroe business community, and worked in advertising for almost 50 years. He enjoyed the creativity of his work, and its freedom, and spending time with his companion Mary. His interests were many and varied: reading, photography, sketching, fishing, traveling, computers, stamp/coin collecting, and bicycling, beer drinking and good conversation.
His volunteer civic and organizational activities included: The Monroe Chamber of Commerce; chair of the American Red Cross Green County Chapter; chair of the March of Dimes Green County; the United Fund; Loyal Order of the Moose, Lodge #754.
TK attended Bayless Business College in Dubuque after graduating from high school and started his newspaper career at the Telegraph Herald in Dubuque. From 1961-to-1965 his career took a brief intermission as he spent four years in the USAF as part of the Strategic Air Command stationed in Detroit and Lincoln, NE. He attended the University of Nebraska while in Lincoln. Later, he was the Advertising Director of the Monroe Evening Times, and General Manager of the weekly newspaper, The United Country Courier. Afterwards he became a Marketing Consultant to the Small Business Development Center for the state of Iowa.
For the last 29 years he has been the owner/operator of the well-known, successful advertising business in Monroe called ADvize.
He was a kind man with a positive disposition, soft-spoken, with a sense of humor and twinkle in his eye. He was a true gentleman, polite, courteous and warm. He was a good husband, father and friend, and a familiar sight around town, and he will be deeply missed.
Asked to sum up his feelings for his 50th high school reunion in Galena, he wrote:
"Picture Galena - me as a young boy growing up in a community that was safe, quiet, secure and trouble free. I don't think one could have found a better, more wonderful place to grow up. Those years were great - Watching the Steam Engine Trains chugging through Galena's East side; Stanley Lee's Movie Theatre; the Fair Grounds swimming pool; the L & L Café; Auman's Pool Hall - the roller rink in Turner Hall; my 46' Chevrolet four door, liberated from the local junk yard for $125 - It doesn't get any better than that."
"Somewhere maybe we all go back to that - a perfect time, when all was right with the world."
Godspeed, TK.
[Quotation from the book The Lord of the Rings. In this scene, one of the hobbits is talking to Gandalf the Wizard'the two are trapped by a large army on either side and are in the middle of a terrible battle, and have no way out. Death appears imminent.]
Hobbit: (sadly) "I didn't think it would end this way."
Gandalf: (With surprise) "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path - one that we all must take. The gray rain curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver clouds. And then you see it."
Hobbit (turning to Gandalf hopefully): "What Gandalf? See what?"
Gandalf: "White shores. And beyond - a far green country, under a swift sunrise."
We'll see you again in a far green country, TK, with a swift sunrise.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2009, at Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home, Monroe. Officiating Monsignor Thomas Campion, with burial in Calvary Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Friday, from 4-to-7 p.m. at the funeral home. A memorial fund is being established in Terry's memory.