Vernon Maughan Buehler

Vernon Maughan Buehler, 95, passed peacefully from this world July 25, 2014. Born at the family homestead in Daniels, Idaho to Henry L. and Mary Ann Maughan Buehler, Vern’s careers as a soldier and an academic gave him opportunity to travel to and work in many countries of the world. He attended school in Daniels and Malad, Idaho. Between his junior and senior year of high school, his family moved to Logan. He attended his senior year at South Cache in Hyrum where he met his sweetheart, MaRee Clawson. MaRee was his inspiration over fifty years of marriage.
Vern was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon completing ROTC training and receiving his bachelor’s degree from Utah State Agricultural College in 1941. Active duty was extended due to WWII and included assignments in Arizona, India, New Mexico, Washington, D.C.—including the Pentagon, Hawaii, South Korea, and Fort Leavenworth. A member of a four-man team that designed and installed a new Army-wide financial management system, Vern personally visited each major Army command in the U.S., Central America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. Vern’s military service was interrupted briefly while he studied at Harvard University for an MBA degree. Later, while serving in Washington, D.C. he earned a Ph.D. in economics at George Washington University and was an instructor of senior military officers at the Defense University’s Industrial College.
After 27 years of military service, Vern retired as an Army colonel in 1967. He returned to Logan to embark on his 21-year academic career as a management professor at Utah State University’s College of Business. His most gratifying accomplishment while at USU was successfully founding and directing the nationally recognized, student-run Business Partners Program. Vern’s contacts and tenacity enabled the Program to feature dozens of world-acclaimed speakers on cutting-edge management practices that impacted thousands of business executives and students. During this time he also co-edited and published seven books and helped lay the foundation for the coveted Shingo Prize for excellence in manufacturing.
Upon retirement from USU at age 70 he undertook the challenging roll of care-provider for MaRee as she struggled with progressively debilitating Parkinson’s disease for the last year of her life.
After MaRee’s passing, Vern consulted briefly at Weber State University. He then joined the International Executive Service Corps and served as a professor in Poland and Ukraine for three years. Subsequent service included consulting to the First of May Factory in Kirov, Russia and guest lecturing at Vyaka State University in Kirov, serving as a management training specialist with a USU team in Thailand and consulting with the Kingdom of Thailand.
Vern also served close to home. Sunshine Terrace Foundation benefited from his insights, energy and generosity as he served on committees and as its board chairman. Significant financial donations have supported important programs of institutions of local interest such as Sunshine Terrace Foundation, USU, Weber State, BYU-Idaho, and Utah Festival Opera.
Vern is preceded in death by his dear wife, MaRee; his brother, LeMar Buehler; five of his six adoring sisters and their husbands: Ines (Vern) Bergeson, Lucille (Melvin) Christoffersen, Zella (Clyde) Jenson, Mae (K. H.) Fridal, and Geneva (Vaughn) Larsen. He is survived by his younger sister, Carma (Doan-deceased) Sanders and many nieces and nephews, and good friend, Brent Sandberg.
Thank you to all the special people at Terrace Grove Assisted Living Center who made the last years of Vern’s life enjoyable and comfortable.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 31, 2014, at 11 a.m. in the Lundstrom Park 3rd Ward Chapel at 1260 N. 1600 E., Logan. There will be a viewing on Wednesday evening from 6-8 at the Allen-Hall Mortuary at 34 E. Center Street, Logan and on Thursday at the church from 9:30 – 10:30. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net