In Memory Of
Harry M. Burback
1921
2013
Harry M. Burback
April 20, 1921 — March 8, 2013
Services celebrating the life of Harry M Burback will be conducted on Friday, March 15, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the chapel of the Oregon Trail State Veterans' Cemetery, with the Reverend Marvin Skogen officiating.
Harry left this world on March 8, 2013 to join Marie, his wife of 60 years. He lived a long, full, and healthy life, and died peacefully of natural causes at the Kloefkorn Central Wyoming Hospice Center in Casper. The family wishes to thank all the nurses and staff for the wonderful care he and his family received during his 3 week stay there.
Harry was born on April 20, 1921 on a farm near Bayard, Nebraska. His parents were George & Eva (Kautz) Burback who were Volga Germans from Russia and had immigrated to the United States in the 1900's. They met and married in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1916. Harry was the fourth of thirteen children born from this union.
The Burbacks' were farmers, and Harry worked hard in the fields along with his father and siblings until he met and married the love of his life Marie Weckerle on December 1, 1940. He and Marie were married for over sixty years until she joined her Lord and Savior on April 17, 2000. Together they had three children.
Harry was a WWII veteran. He was in the Army Ordinance and was serving in Japan at the time of his discharge in 1946.
After serving his country, he returned to his wife and children in Scottsbluff, NE. There he worked in the auto repair business as a mechanic until 1952, when he left for an eight months assignment to Greenland to work as a heavy duty mechanic for the Thule Greenland Air Force Base, which was part of "Operation Blue Jay", a secret operation started by the government in 1951 during the Cold War with Russia. As a civilian under contract he worked on the trucks and heavy equipment for the air base there. On his return, he moved his family to Casper and went to work for the Ford Garage as a body and fender man. In 1953 he received a letter requesting him back in Greenland. This assignment was for five months.
Harry was well known as an excellent body and fender man in Casper. He was one of the first in Casper to lead-in and customize automobiles. In the late 1950's several of the high school boys brought their cars to him to have them customized, and some of his work earned trophies for the boys. Harry was the body shop foreman for Sheppard Oldsmobile and later Becker Oldsmobile for a total of 17 years. At the time of his retirement in 1986 he was the foreman for Central Paint and Body and had been for 12 years.
Harry was an avid fisherman. He and Marie loved to fish and camp with family and friends. He also loved to play pool and was very good at the game as some of his friends at the VFW club will contest to. Up until two months ago he was still meeting with them every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to play pool. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 10677, and also a member of the Casper Elks Lodge for many years. In his younger years he was a pretty good bowler and was on several bowling leagues.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marie, his parents, two infant sisters, his brothers Fred and George, and sisters, Esther, Irene, Elsie, and Gladys.
He leaves behind his three children and their spouses, Beverly Holt Gray (Kenny), Sharon Garner (Bob), and Harry Lavern Burback (Barbara). Eight grandchildren and their spouses, Michelle Stamm (Kip), Valerie Krueger, Troy Krueger (Sharon), Robert Garner (Heather), Edie George (Rob), Tim Garner (Staci), James Burback (Wendi), Jaclyn Frederiksen (Shawn), and seventeen great grandchildren. Also remaining are two brothers and their spouses, Bob Burback (Jody), LeRoy Burback (Lori), and two sisters, Betty Carlson (Garland) and Rosie Piro, several nieces and nephews, his good friend Gary Cohee and all his other pool playing friends at the VFW.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Wyoming Hospice, 319. S. Wilson, Casper, WY 82601.
To share a memory of Harry or to leave a special message of condolence for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
Harry left this world on March 8, 2013 to join Marie, his wife of 60 years. He lived a long, full, and healthy life, and died peacefully of natural causes at the Kloefkorn Central Wyoming Hospice Center in Casper. The family wishes to thank all the nurses and staff for the wonderful care he and his family received during his 3 week stay there.
Harry was born on April 20, 1921 on a farm near Bayard, Nebraska. His parents were George & Eva (Kautz) Burback who were Volga Germans from Russia and had immigrated to the United States in the 1900's. They met and married in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1916. Harry was the fourth of thirteen children born from this union.
The Burbacks' were farmers, and Harry worked hard in the fields along with his father and siblings until he met and married the love of his life Marie Weckerle on December 1, 1940. He and Marie were married for over sixty years until she joined her Lord and Savior on April 17, 2000. Together they had three children.
Harry was a WWII veteran. He was in the Army Ordinance and was serving in Japan at the time of his discharge in 1946.
After serving his country, he returned to his wife and children in Scottsbluff, NE. There he worked in the auto repair business as a mechanic until 1952, when he left for an eight months assignment to Greenland to work as a heavy duty mechanic for the Thule Greenland Air Force Base, which was part of "Operation Blue Jay", a secret operation started by the government in 1951 during the Cold War with Russia. As a civilian under contract he worked on the trucks and heavy equipment for the air base there. On his return, he moved his family to Casper and went to work for the Ford Garage as a body and fender man. In 1953 he received a letter requesting him back in Greenland. This assignment was for five months.
Harry was well known as an excellent body and fender man in Casper. He was one of the first in Casper to lead-in and customize automobiles. In the late 1950's several of the high school boys brought their cars to him to have them customized, and some of his work earned trophies for the boys. Harry was the body shop foreman for Sheppard Oldsmobile and later Becker Oldsmobile for a total of 17 years. At the time of his retirement in 1986 he was the foreman for Central Paint and Body and had been for 12 years.
Harry was an avid fisherman. He and Marie loved to fish and camp with family and friends. He also loved to play pool and was very good at the game as some of his friends at the VFW club will contest to. Up until two months ago he was still meeting with them every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to play pool. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 10677, and also a member of the Casper Elks Lodge for many years. In his younger years he was a pretty good bowler and was on several bowling leagues.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marie, his parents, two infant sisters, his brothers Fred and George, and sisters, Esther, Irene, Elsie, and Gladys.
He leaves behind his three children and their spouses, Beverly Holt Gray (Kenny), Sharon Garner (Bob), and Harry Lavern Burback (Barbara). Eight grandchildren and their spouses, Michelle Stamm (Kip), Valerie Krueger, Troy Krueger (Sharon), Robert Garner (Heather), Edie George (Rob), Tim Garner (Staci), James Burback (Wendi), Jaclyn Frederiksen (Shawn), and seventeen great grandchildren. Also remaining are two brothers and their spouses, Bob Burback (Jody), LeRoy Burback (Lori), and two sisters, Betty Carlson (Garland) and Rosie Piro, several nieces and nephews, his good friend Gary Cohee and all his other pool playing friends at the VFW.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Wyoming Hospice, 319. S. Wilson, Casper, WY 82601.
To share a memory of Harry or to leave a special message of condolence for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Harry M. Burback, please visit our flower store.
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