Richard Lester Buffenbarger

Richard Lester Buffenbarger died peacefully after a courageous battle with esophageal cancer on Friday, October 28, 2011 in Pinetop, Navajo County, Arizona. He was 65 years old. Richard was born on January 15, 1946 in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana to his mother, the late Marilyn Buffenbarger. In April of 1963, at the age of 17, Richard enlisted in The United States Army just as the Vietnam War was beginning and starting to escalate. During the service to his country, he became known as an expert rifleman. He served honorably and returned home to a hero's welcome 3 years later in April of 1966. Throughout his life, Richard enjoyed working with his hands. He knew the meaning of hard work and proved it by his actions everyday. He owned and operated his own roofing company and was known for his detailed thoroughness. Also with his excellent handyman skills, Richard was able to put a lot of love and work into his own log cabin that he built himself. He even was skilled enough to personally shank the logs that were used for his cabin! Richard was somewhat of a quiet man and appreciated the peacefullnes he felt while fishing at a quiet lake or stream. He was also an avid deer hunter and had many mounts to show for it. Richard also enjoyed watching a good game of football and was a great fan of NASCAR racing. Truly, the simple things in life made him happy. He loved his dog, "Bear" so very much, and when Bear died, he missed him greatly. Richard also appreciated a good chocolate chip cookie and was always on the lookout for an even better one. Richard will be missed dearly by his family and friends. They've all grown to appreciate his ornery sense of humor and his bold forthrightness. Richard is survived by his wife: Linn Paulsen; 3 daughters: Lorrenda Jackson, Kelly Buffenbarger and Lisa (Mike) Lauer all of Fort Wayne, Indiana; 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Private family services will be held at a later date.