Obituary lovingly written by his family

Wayne L. "Buck" Borchsenius was born on 18 January 1921 in Wedron in a bedroom of his maternal grandparents, John and Charlotte Benson. Buck's father, LaVerne, passed in an accident before Buck was born. His mother married Harry Bristol and raised Buck along with his brother Jim in Norway. Buck graduated from Norway Grade School and the Serena High School. After high school Buck attended LaSalle Peru Junior College and was a member of their state championship football team in 1939. He always was a good athlete. He also managed the FS gas station in Serena. He was preparing himself to run the family business, The Norway Store.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor interrupted this plan. Like many of his friends, he signed up for the military. He enlisted in the US Coastguard. His family was not very excited about this, but they accepted his decision. After all, he was 20 years old, he was responsible, and he could certainly make his own decisions.

He served n LST 331 on D-Day. He was at Omaha Beach, first wave, D-Day. In the weeks that followed, he made 28 missions to either Omaha Beach or Utah Beach. In 2012 the family tool Buck back to Normandy. It truly was a trip of a lifetime.

When Buck returned home, he married his sweetheart Irene Meling, and with Irene planned to run the Norway Store. The year was 1946. He joined the Clover Farm Association and soon became President of the same.

Buck wanted to reaffirm his affiliation with the family church, The Norway Methodist Church. He felt the church was necessary part of raising a family. Soon after his affirmation, Francis Ingles, one of the direct descendants of Cleng Peerson, father of Norwegian immigration, asked Buck to be the church treasurer. It seems Francis had been the treasurer for over 20 years, and he felt it was time for new blood. Buck held the job for over 69 years. He wouldn't write any checks the last two weeks of his term. He wanted the books to check out. They balanced to the penny.

With other returning veterans, Buck call the first meeting of the Norway Improvement League in 1947. After their first meeting, their major goal was to create a park for its residents. We all know what happened there with no tax support.

1947 was a busy year. That was the year the Serena Fire Protection District was formed. There was much work to so. Buck, Bill Temple, and Gordon Lucas were the first trustees for this district. Buck was a trustee for twenty-five years as they would become one of the finest volunteer fire departments in the country.

After the war was a time for growth in this country. The banking system in our country after the Great Depression was at best inadequate. The Sheridan State Bank was in need of directors to help guide its functions. Buck became a director in 1949 and continued being a director until 2010. I believe Buck was the longest serving active director for any bank in the United States. Greg Sheedy, the past president of the Sheridan Bank also thought this.

After the war there was also a surge of activity in The American Legion. The LaVerne W. Anderson American Legion Post 729 in Sheridan was no different. The returning veterans wanted to build a home for their membership. Buck became the Finance Officer and guided the construction of their home. The new post was dedicated in 1952.

While all this was going on, Buck and Irene were raising four children, Rob (Karen), Terry (deceased), Chuck (Sue), and Ann Anderson (Buzz). Many grandchildren and great grandchildren will also miss this community-loving man.

The Norwegian Center Incorporated organized in 1976 and undertook the creation of the Norsk Museum. It is housed in the First Norwegian Lutheran Church in North America. Buck was the first President of that organization and had been a board member until his passing.

Over the years Buck has always kept his church and his community at the forefront of his activities. As Justice of the Peace for Mission township, he would marry couples at the Norway Store if necessary. He would hold the service back by the Campbell Soup shelf. That's where his desk was located. If you received a traffic violation, that same Campbell Soup shelf was there. The Illinois State Police knew Buck would always be at the store, so violators were brought right to the store. That is the way a small family-owned business is run. You are there.

Buck took a job with the Illinois Department of Transportation. He had studied and received his Real Estate license and became part of the land acquisition team of IDOT, the Illinois Department of Transportation. He helped purchase much of the land for Interstate 39. He worked many years for IDOT and took an early retirement at age 70 years.

Buck and Irene built a cabin on property he owned and lived there together until Irene's passing on 5 March 2011. Buck lived in the cabin until his passing on 3 July 2023. He was 102 years of age, and his family will miss him.

A visitation will be held on Friday 7 July 2023 from 10:00 – 2:00 PM at the Norway Improvement League building located at 3667 East 2603rd Road, Sheridan, IL. A funeral for family only will follow at the Norway United Methodist Church. Inurnment will also be private at the Norway Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Norway United Methodist Church, the Norway Improvement League, The Norsk Museum or the LaVerne W. Anderson American Legion Post 729.

Arrangements were entrusted the Gabel-Dunn Funeral Home, 333 West Church Street – P. O. Box 27, Sheridan, IL 60551.

For additional information www.dunnfamilyfuneralhome.com