Jeffrey Clarence deBuhr

Jeffrey Clarence deBuhr passed away at the age of 79 on March 9, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. He is survived by his children, Krista Jane DeBuhr and her daughter, Ari Jane Powell of Clarksville, Ark.; Sarah Elizabeth Lind and husband, Kurt and their children, Adam, Caroline and Sally Kate of Fayetteville, Ark.; Lucus Wood DeBuhr and his fiancé Sara McCullough of Fayetteville, Ark. He is also survived by his former wife, Sally Wood, and her partner David Wallace of Nogo, Ark. Jeff was raised in Sheboygan Falls Wisconsin by his late mother, Adeline deBuhr and his late aunt, Ione Steinhardt. His late father, Clarence deBuhr was a 2nd Lieutenant with the 4th Armored Division in World War II. He was posthumously awarded a Silver Star & Purple Heart for his bravery and gallantry during the liberation of southern France. Like so many of that time, Jeff was a war orphan. Jeff attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater with a Bachelor of Science degree (major: English; minor: American Studies). After graduation and while teaching at the Wisconsin School for Boys, he completed about a third of the casework toward a master's degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin. Just twenty short years since receiving a baccalaureate degree, Jeff was awarded the Master of Arts in English from the University of Central Arkansas. He continued his studies at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (graduate, as special student) and Arkansas Tech University (graduate). Jeff (known by his friends as "River" and since becoming a grandpa known as "Bumpa") lived a full and satisfying life which included homesteading in the Boston mountains, teaching English, reading, writing poetry, theatre, gardening, carpentry, and bird watching. He had a great passion for language, folklore, and collectables. He was a committed supporter of KUAF Public Radio, Sierra Club Foundation, The Natural Resources Defense Council and The National Audubon Society. He was an avid reader and writer. Gardening is the one thing he openly hoped to pass down to his children. Jeff was a teacher, but more so a student. A person who believed learning was a possibility at any age and something he did throughout his life. He was also someone who believed in the importance of taking bold stands and advocating for oneself. He loved his family and took immense pride in their accomplishments, big and small. Bumpa will be greatly missed by his friends and family. At his request, there will not be a funeral. His children are having a private memorial for him at Dancing Water Farm, his former home in the Boston mountains. His family would like to thank the staff at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Ark. for their support and loving care they provided Jeff in the final days of his life. Online condolences may be left at www.siscofuneral.com.