Strutt Family Tree

Gilbert Buske, 91, died on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004. He was born on May 18, 1913, in the same farm home as his father, in the township of Anson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. He was the third son of the late Henry Walter and Ada Frances (Budge) Buske. Gil's long and interesting life included designing instrumentation fot he Manhattan project during World War 2. followed by outboard motors at Martin Motors and Presto in Wisconsin. Moving to Michigan, then Indiana, he designed lawnmowers and their engines for REO Motor Wheel and Motot Mower. As the use of power mowers increased, he became alarmed at the accidents and began nvestigating, becomming a self=trained forensic engineer, anticipating this profession. Because of this work he was selected chair person by a non-profit to write the first effective safety standards for power mowers. Following adoption of these standards the accident rate fell dramatically. Then following his love of outboard motors, he moved to Stamford, Conn. in the early 1960's to assist Homelite after they encourtered problems adapting the engine from the Crosley auatomobile for use in a large out-board motor. Soon he was placed in charge of improving much of Homelite's outdoor power equipment and this led to more accident (now called incident) investigations, and 13 patents got product improvements. Then, in 1974, he took his forensic work independent and established his own forensic cousulting business as Buske Engineering, testifying in some 140 trials by the time he retired at age 80. He and his wife, Genevieve, who developed and printed his forensic photographs in her won darkroom, continued living in Stamford until after 42 years there, and recent failing health, they chose two years ago to acept the loving care of his daughter, son-in-law , and grandchildren in Colchester, Conn. During his entire life, he felt blessed by what education had made possible, beginning with the one-room coutry school in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. After grduating in 1940, he stayed very connected with the University of Wisconsin and its mechanical engineering professors, establishing in 1984 (with wife Gen, also a UW grad), a scholarship program which eventually benefited some 240 engineering students, and this program will continue to provide scholarships for many years to come. He is survived by his wife, Genevieve J. (Strutt) Buske of Colchester, CT, whom he married on May 31, 1940: four children, Kenneth E. Buske of Benicia, Calif., Norman L. Buske and his wife, Moon Callison of Belfair, Wash., Jean M. Stawicki and her husband, John L Stawicki of Colchester, Conn., and Warren H. Buske anfd his wife , Kathy Christenson of Beaverton, Oregon; his older brother, morris R. Buske and his wife, Dorothy of Oak Park, Ill:, 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His son, Carl Edward Buske of Port Chester, N.Y., predeceased him earlier this year and he is survived by his good friend, Mary Gannon. Family and friends may call on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004 from 5 to 7 at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral home , 167 Old Hartford Road, Colchester, Conn., followed by a dinner gathering. Burial will be private in the Countryside Union Cemetery, Chippewa County Wisconsin.