Sunday, May 19, 2024
43.0°F

Bradley David Buerge

| September 17, 2022 2:37 PM

Bradley David Buerge was born on December 12, 1953, in Wadsworth, Ohio. He and his twin brother, Jody Lee, were born to Donald and Eunice Vining Buerge. He tragically passed away on September 12, 2022, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho at the age of sixty-eight years.

When a young child, the family separated. Brad lived in seven states with seven families. He received a tenth-grade education attending thirteen schools. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite as a youngster.

Brad worked on crop and dairy farms, logging crews, fence building crews, and drove trash trucks. He worked at the Wolverine Worldwide Shoe Factory in Ithaca, Michigan. Brad served in United States Navy at Pearl Harbor during the latter part of the Cold War.

In 1997, Brad moved permanently to North Idaho. Again he worked at various odd jobs. He managed a motel, worked on tree farms, cut firewood and worked at General Feed and Grain. Brad signed up with different organizations and enjoyed walking about our community, door to door, to collect money for humanitarian purposes.

Brad struggled throughout his life and talked of heaven as his goal. He regularly attended Mountain View Mennonite Church. After the service, Brad would thoroughly enjoy seeking out and distributing candy to eager little children from his ever-ready candy bag.

On March 2, 2017, Brad lost most of his belongings in a fire including his Bible with its many handwritten notations. He enjoyed visiting and storytelling with an amazing memory for dates, places and people. He had a talent for writing poetry and short essays and published a booklet. Brad enjoyed doing crossword puzzles in the daily newspaper and collected many books, articles, clippings, brochures and magazines. He had aspirations to someday rewrite his book, “On the Banks of Bane Creek” after he lost his copy in the fire.

A highlight in his life was a motorcycle ride from Bonners Ferry, Idaho back to Ohio and Michigan in the fall of 2019 where he met up with old friends and preachers.

Brad accumulated little of worldly goods but gave freely of what he had. With an outgoing personality, Brad made friends easily. He had a fondness for relatives and loved ones who had already gone to their reward and expressed a longing to meet them there.

Survivors include one brother, Jody Buerge, Ithaca, Michigan; two sisters, Nona Hinshaw, Enterprise, Kansas; Willi Buerge, Post Falls, Idaho.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one infant brother.

To leave a message or memory for the family please go to www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is caring for the family.