Ann was born, December 8, 1927, on a farm near Dunlap with changes to Bushong, Kansas, by U.S.P.S., and homesteaded by her Grandfather Henry H. Harder. She lived there with her parents, Fred and Ellen Harder, and later a sister, Ernestine Griffith, and brother, Eugene Harder, until she was 17 and had graduated from high school.
She began school at age 5 on September, 1933, in a one-room country school of District #109 (Sunrise School). She graduated from 8th grade in 1941. She was the only person in her class there at Sunrise, she then attended Bushong High School where she graduated in May, 1945.
In June, 1945, she attended the Emporia Camphill Beauty Academy to study to be a beautician. Graduating from there in January, 1946, and began working at the Broadview Hotel Beauty Shop. She worked there until October, 1946, where she married Russell Buchman in Council Grove, KS, on October 20, 1946, after he had been discharged from the Navy Seabees in August.
Ann and Russell moved to Salina and into an upstairs apartment on S. Front. Ann went to work for Sanitary Beauty Shop on East Iron in Salina until May, 1948, and their first daughter, Constance (Connie) Hodson, was born on June 1, 1948. They moved to Wilson, KS, for a couple of months, and they returned to Salina and lived in an apartment on East Walnut until their second daughter, Sue Francis, was born on October 22, 1949. The family moved to a duplex on South Third Street until there third daughter, Linda Baker, was born on October 11, 1950. Because of Russell’s job, he and Ann moved to Coffeyville until July, 1951, came back to Salina, and lived on East Ellsworth in an apartment. Two months later, they moved into their first home on Merrill and living there until all the daughters were graduated from high school. They purchased a mobile home in 1969 and lived in a mobile home park until 1971. They purchased property near Bavaria and lived there until 2012 at Russell’s death. Ann moved to an apartment at the Reserve in Salina and lived there until her illness in May, 2021, and was housed at the Presbyterian Manor until 2023.
Ann stayed at home and did not work until the daughters were in high school in 1965. She went to work for Sears with working in many departments—Ladieswear, Children’s Department, Drapery & Bedding, Lingerie & Hosiery, Piece Goods, Men’s Wear, Plumbing, Sporting Goods, Furniture, Candy, and three years in the Catalog Telephone. After that, she worked in Electronics/Vacuums & Sewing Machine Department, staying in that department until December, 1999. When she retired after working at Sears for 34 years, she helped cut the ribbon in the new mall store in Salina.
Quilting has taken many hours of her time as a hobby upon retiring from a job. She has completed quilts for 8 of her grandchildren and 12 of her great-grandchildren through 2007 with baby quilts. She made all 3 daughters quilts as well—all quilted by hand. She finished 3 quilts begun by her mother, Ellen Harder, in addition to several Hawaiian patterned pillows given as gifts to daughters and grandchildren as inspired by her trip to Hawaii in 2006, celebrating Ann’s and Russell’s 60th wedding anniversary. She was so proud of their life voyage together.
In 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked; war was declared on Ann’s 14th birthday, December 8, 1941. She remembers listening on the radio with her dad as to what was happening and learned where Hawaii was located.
Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Russ Buchman, who passed away May 23, 2012, her parents–Fred and Ellen Harder, her sister and brother-in-law, Ernestine and Art Griffith, Peyton Hayes, great-grandson, and many cousins.
Ann is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Connie and Les Hodson of McKinney, TX, Sue and Wayne Francis of Salina, KS, and Linda and Michael Baker of Duncan Falls, OH, 8 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, and her brother and sister-in-law, Gene and Jackie Harder of Emporia, KS.
Grandchildren: Tammy, Michael, Tracy, Jennifer, Jerry, Katrina, Elizabeth, Rebecca; Great-grandchildren: Blake, Alexander, Samantha, Avery, Sierra, Jessica, Meagan, Breanna, Victoria, Peyton, Gideon, Isaiah, Nathanael, Charlotte, Oliver, Hannah, Abigail, Sophie, Aaron, Lucas, Mason, and Griffin; Great-great grandchildren: Ellis, Brinley, Edward, Eloise.
A visitation will be held on Friday, February 17, 2023 from 9:00 AM until service time at 11:00 AM in the Roselawn Memorial Heights Chapel. Interment will follow in the Roselawn Memorial Park. Memorials may be sent to the Salina VFW Post 1432; 1108 W. Crawford, Salina, KS 67401-4601.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Roselawn Burial and Cremation Services. Online condolences may be sent to www.roselawnsalina.com.