Jon Michael Van Buren

Jon was born November 16, 1966, in Rochester, Minnesota, to Roger and Marlene Van Buren. He attended Rochester public schools, graduating from Mayo High School in 1985. He earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology from Rochester Community College in 1988 while working at Piggly Wiggly (later Mr. P’s) grocery store where he had worked since 1983.

In 1989, Jon went to work for Schmitt Music Company in Rochester where he won a top ten salesman award in 1990. While at Schmitt, he undertook an apprenticeship in musical instrument repair under Nyle Taylor which he completed in 1992.

After completing his study, he went to work for Meyer Music in Holland, Michigan, where he ran the repair shop. In 2003, he graduated from the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology with an Associate of Arts degree in Piano Repair, Rebuilding and Maintenance and started Noteworthy Piano Service as a side job.

In 2009, Jon moved to Winston Salem, North Carolina, to become the brass and woodwind repair tech for Jackson’s Music. He moved again in 2014, to Knoxville, Tennessee, to work for Rush’s Music store, providing maintenance and repair of personal, school contract and rental stock and helping with sales and rentals.

As a boy, Jon tried sports such as baseball and progressed through Cub scouts to the rank of Webelos. He loved outdoor activities including hunting (gun and bow), trapping, and fishing, particularly trout (fly) fishing. He read voraciously about these topics, mostly in magazines, starting in elementary school. From an early age, he also liked things that go fast including bicycles (assembling his own BMX bikes) and snowmobiles, ultimately graduating to purchasing and restoring a series of muscle cars in his late teens and twenties as well as a vintage Triumph motorcycle. With his parents and family, he also enjoyed boating and later jet skis.

Jon also loved drumming, playing percussion in his school bands through graduation and drum set at home since the fourth grade. He performed in a series of bands around south eastern Minnesota including paying gigs in polka and country western bands. Later, in Michigan, he played with the Blues Sultans for several years and tried out various other bands on the side.

All his life, Jon could not pass up a promising antique or flea market and always enjoyed collecting and restoring things. In his later years, he focused mostly on vintage musical instruments of all types. He always had several projects underway.

Jon is survived by his mom and dad, sister Tracy (Rippie), brother Tyler, their spouses (Mike Rippie and Katie Van Buren) and his two nieces and six nephews.

He will be remembered for his creative energy, his intelligence, his bouts of giddy and infectious enthusiasm, his unique perspective on almost everything, and especially for his humor which all these other traits culminated in. His colleagues will also remember him for his work ethic and accountability and for his knowledge and skill in all things musical instrument and repair related.

As his friends and family are spread widely, we are choosing a small, family memorial service for Jon. Memorial donations in Jon’s memory may be directed to whatever favorite charity you deem appropriate.