lit a candle 19 Sept 2026Just read this obituary and it stopped me cold. Never knew the man, don't know Garrison, Iowa from anywhere, but that line about God loving fools and farmers is the kind of thing that sticks. 81 years working the same land his whole life. There's something in that most of us never manage.
Their story
John Alan Buhr was a farmer from Garrison, Iowa, who spent nearly his entire life working the land in the rural community where he grew up. He was born on August 20, 1945, in rural Keystone, Iowa, the son of Heinz and Marianne (Harder) Buhr, and he graduated from Garrison…
John Alan Buhr was a farmer from Garrison, Iowa, who spent nearly his entire life working the land in the rural community where he grew up. He was born on August 20, 1945, in rural Keystone, Iowa, the son of Heinz and Marianne (Harder) Buhr, and he graduated from Garrison High School in 1963 before going on to study at Iowa State University, where he earned a degree in Farm Operations.
Buhr was not a national public figure, and there is no evidence he sought or achieved fame beyond his own community. His life's significance, as described by those who knew him, was rooted in family, farming and church. He married Mary Jane Whitson on February 12, 1966, at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Garrison, and the couple went on to farm together in the rural Garrison area for decades, raising three daughters. John and Mary shared 58 years of marriage before her death on February 28, 2024.
Within his community, Buhr was known for his long service to St. Mark Lutheran Church, where he served as an Elder and as President of the Congregation. Friends and family remembered him for a favorite saying, that "God loves fools and farmers," and for considering himself perhaps a bit of both. He was described by his family as a devoted husband, father and grandfather whose life centered on his farm, his faith and his family.
John Alan Buhr died at his home in Garrison, Iowa, on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the age of 81. No cause of death has been made public. His death was announced through an obituary published by the Van Steenhuyse-Teahen Funeral Home in Vinton, Iowa, and reported locally by KWWL. He is survived by his three daughters, five grandsons, two sisters, and extended family, and was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, his parents, and several siblings.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Garrison, with burial to follow at Garrison Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established in his name, and the family has asked that condolences be shared through the funeral home's website.
Biography adapted from News reports and the sources cited on this page; death reported by legacy.com.
In their own words
“God loves fools and farmers.”
Same, saw it shared and couldn't stop thinking about it either.