John Raymond VanBuskirk…Referred to as J.R. VanBuskirk or affectionately as Mr. Van.
His actual surname was Buskirk, but when he enlisted in the army for WWI he used the surname VanBuskirk. Why he did this is not completely clear, but the name VanBuskirk had been used in previous generations of his family with his great, great grandfather Isaac VanBuskirk (1760-1843) using the VanBuskirk name instead of Buskirk. All of J.R.'s siblings used the surname Buskirk except for one sister who also used the name VanBuskirk until she was married. J.R. continued to use the name VanBuskirk even after the war and for the rest of his life.

Son of Winfield Scott Buskirk and Cornelia (Bostwick) Buskirk.

Married Julia Blodwen Davis at Modoc, Kansas on August 22, 1920.

Father of James (Jim) Raymond VanBuskirk (b.6-20-1924, d.6-10-2015, see a Find a Grave memorial #160701469) and Esther Blodwen (VanBuskirk) Schindelar (born Jul. 7, 1926 in Liberal, KS., died Sept. 22, 2014 in Littleton, CO., see Find a Grave memorial #15851767).

Biography from 1926 Liberal High School yearbook:

Mr. VanBuskirk-principal-elect of the Liberal High School, (starting in the fall of 1926) has had a wide range of experiences. He is a native Kansan, being born in El Dorado. Graduated at Latham, Kansas, and taught his first term of school in Butler County. He was then elected principal of grades, which position he has filled in various towns of the state, teaching during the school term and attending the Kansas State Teachers College during the summer at Emporia, Kansas. He was principal at Frederick, Kansas, when the World War broke out and he resigned to enter the army in the fall of 1917. He was under fire for ninety days (during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France which involved 1.2 million American troops, making it the largest U.S. military operation of World War I) and was wounded on November 1, 1918. After convalescing several months, was discharged. In 1919 he entered the University of Kansas and finished his college course. Mr. VanBuskirk possesses initiative and executive ability of high order, justly qualifying him for his new position in September. For the past three years (1923-1926) he has served in the Liberal High School as science teacher and debate coach.

Biography from Seward County, Kansas Historical Society Book-1979. Information submitted by Mrs. R.B. Harkins who interviewed Mr. & Mrs. VanBuskirk:

John Raymond VanBuskirk was born at El Dorado, Butler County, Kansas, on September 6, 1887, the son of Winfield S. and Cornelia Bostrick (actual name was Bostwick) VanBuskirk (actual name was Buskirk). As a boy, he attended country schools in Butler County, was a student in Brumback Academy at El Dorado, graduated from Latham High School in 1908. He attended college and taught two years in Edwards County before taking a position at Modoc in Scott County in 1915 where he taught two terms until 1917. As a first sergeant in L company of the 353rd Infantry, 89th Division, he served on the front lines for 100 days before, on November 1, (1918) during the Meuse-Argonne drive, he suffered a severe head wound. Many months of hospitalization followed in France until he was returned to New York City on December 20, 1918, and in May 1919 he was honorably discharged from the hospital at Camp Funston.

VanBuskirk returned to college following the war and was awarded his bachelors degree from the University of Kansas. He resumed his teaching career in 1923 at Liberal and was named high school principal in 1926. He served as principal until 1944, and during that time did classroom teaching as well as earning his Master of Arts degree from the University of Arizona.

On August 22, 1920 he married Julia Blodwen Davis at Modoc, Kansas. "Mr. Van," as he is affectionately called by his students and friends, has served this community well. He has been chairman of the board of the First Christian Church for 20 years and as an elder for many more; he is past commander of the Lawrence M. Wimmer Post of the American Legion, a past president of Rotary, a Mason, and a past patron of the Eastern Star.

The VanBuskirks have two children. James (Jim) Raymond, owner of a realty company, lives in Broomfield Heights, a suburb of Denver, Colorado, and has five daughters (Theresa, Sandra, Julie, Jimmie & Abbie). Their daughter, Esther Blodwen, is married to Dr. Joe Schindelar, lives in Greeley, Colorado, and they have one son (Eric).

Mr. VanBuskirk is retired from teaching and spends much of his time in his very comfortable home at 724 N. Lincoln Ave. (in Liberal) reading, watching television, and doing some writing. Following is a poem written by Mr. VanBuskirk.

My Native State

I have traveled many a weary mile, o'er lake and gulf and bay;
I've seen the waves roll up so high, they delayed us on our way;
I've seen the high and low tides and every thing that waves;
But I want to be in Kansas where the wheat fields wave.

Oh, it's nice among the grandure of the Rockies I have seen;
Here you hunt the bear and lion altho never a one you've seen,
While back home there's something calls you when the nights are still
And I long to chase the coyote o'er those old flint hills.

You may talk about old Texas with her cattle on the plains;
You may talk about Montana where the sheep man won his fame;
But of all the grasslands there's none that's just the same
As our dear old western Kansas with her wide and level plains.

When all the world is lazy and won't work without more dough;
And every man that use't work has now become a bo;
Just walk down to the barnyard where you'll seldom hear a squell
And watch those Kansas hogs work out that old potato field.

I have seen the girls of beauty that live in sunny France;
The home loving girls of England all of whom can sing and dance;
Those noble girls of Belgium who for you would always wait;
But I'll choose a girl for mine from the sunflower state.

Kings are buried in the pyramids upon a sun parched plain;
While many a noble warrior just lies where he is slain;
But when death's messenger to me says life's debt you've got to pay;
Why just dig my grave in Kansas for God's not very far away.

--John Raymond VanBuskirk

Obituary: Southwest Daily Times, Liberal, Kansas, Jan, 1982.

Funeral services for J.R. VanBuskirk were conducted Tuesday morning (Jan. 26, 1982) at the First Christian Church (in Liberal). Pallbearers were Ray Matkin, John Ragland, Ed Thompson, Leroy Andrews, W.D. Harrison & Dale Warden.

Burial was in the Restlawn Memorial Gardens under the direction of Miller Mortuary. Graveside services were conducted by the Masonic Lodge, flag folding by the Legion, saluting by the Kansas National Guard and taps by Ray Petty.

Mr. VanBuskirk died Saturday morning, January 23, 1982 at the Brighton Care Center, Brighton, Colorado, where he had been a patient since March. He was born September 6, 1887 at El Dorado, Kansas. He married Julia Davis on Aug. 22, 1920 at Modoc, Kansas. He attended Butler County Schools and graduated from the University of Kansas and received his masters degree from the University of Arizona. He taught high school at Modoc for two years and then he came to Liberal in 1923. He was principal at Liberal High School from 1926 to 1944 and he retired in 1946. He was a member of the First Christian Church and the Masonic Lodge. He was a past patron of the Eastern Star and a veteran of World War I. He was also a member of the Retired Teachers Association and a past president of the Rotary Club.

Survivors include his wife, one son, James R. VanBuskirk and wife Gloria, of Broomfield, Colorado; one daughter, Mrs. Esther Schindelar and husband Joe, of Greeley, Colorado, and three sisters; Mrs. Edith Simpson and Mrs. Nell Mortedge (actually Nelle Morledge) both of Wichita, and Mrs. Lillian Thompkins of Tucson, Arizona. Other survivors include six grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

Article from the Southwest Daily Times, Liberal, KS., Sept. 1977
World War I veterans of Barracks 3456, their wives and widows met at the Senior Citizens Center Tuesday evening and honored J.R. VanBuskirk on his 90th birthday.

VanBuskirk is the oldest living World War I veteran in western Kansas.

Coming from Burlingame, KS., for the occasion was Mr. & Mrs. Weaver Masters & Mr. & Mrs. Jay Denny. Masters, a brother of Mrs. W.E. Bush of Liberal, served as platoon sergeant in Company L, 353rd Infantry, 89th Division, with VanBuskirk who was first sergeant. They served together in France in 1917-18.

VanBuskirk was principal of Liberal Junior & Senior High School fom 1926 to 1943. He left here for one year to teach at Hoxie High School, then returned here in 1945 and taught at Liberal High School until he retired in 1958. He said over 2,000 students were graduated under him.