Harrie Ray Buswell, 86, of Owensboro, KY, formerly of Churdan, passed away peacefully in his home on March 5, 2025.
Harrie was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend to all who met him. He never met a stranger. He loved music, often playing the autoharp while singing. He made a ministry of going to nursing homes and playing and singing with the folks there. The evening before his death, he was singing K-K-K-Katy to his beloved bride.
He also loved reading and writing poetry, some of his poetry was even about the lives of groundhogs. He enjoyed fishing and treasured all of nature. He lived his life as a teacher, inventor, philosopher, and writer. His passion was creative thinking and innovating new ways to do things better, both physically and ideologically. He lived by his philosophy of the Five Elements of Life: Love, Honesty, Change, Simplicity and Enthusiasm.
Harrie began his life in Carroll, Iowa in 1938, the youngest of five children of Ray and Grace Buswell. He was raised on a farm along the Raccoon River. Harrie was raised as a Methodist and his strong faith continued and strengthened throughout his life; he was a member of St. John United Methodist Church in Owensboro. He graduated high school in 1957 from Churdan, IA, graduated from the DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago, IL, and served in the Air Force in Syracuse, NY.
Following his service in the military, Harrie received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University and eventually his PhD from the University of Georgia. His professional career began and ended with teaching students ranging from the seventh grade to university graduate students in the studies of mathematics, industrial technology, electronics, computer building, and creative thinking. Over his lifetime he had worked at Iowa State University, Georgia Tech and Berea College in Kentucky.
In the mid-1970s and early 1980s he owned and operated, along with his wife Katy, an appliance and electronic retail and service business in both Ogden and Grand Junction, IA In the 1990s, Harrie developed a more efficient system for the design of electrical transformers with foreign and US patents for his technology.
Harrie was preceded in death by his parents Ray and Grace Buswell, and his brothers, Elmer, Vernon and Dale Buswell.
He is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Katy (Langford) Buswell; daughters Laurie (Kris) Cook of Boone, IA, Christy (Keith) Hartman of Henderson, KY, and Mary Ellen (Steve) Parham of Knoxville, TN; sister, Mary Mallison of Atlanta, GA; grandchildren James, Lauren, Josh, Gunnar, Cheyenne, Blake, Mallory, Riley, and Bradley; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and other loving family and friends.
The family would like to thank all who have supported them with their outpouring of love, support and prayers.
Care entrusted to Cardinal Cremation Society, 270- 231-9991
