Mildred "Mickey" Buller

Mildred W. Buller (known as Mickey), 95, of Worthington, passed away at home Tuesday, September 9, 2014 with loved ones by her side. She was born December 12, 1918 in St. Louis, Missouri to the late Roy and Elizabeth Walberg. Mickey grew up in Holland, Michigan in the midst of a large extended family including three cousins who were as close as sisters to her. She attended grade school and high school in Holland, playing on a girls' softball team in elementary school. She graduated from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

In 1942, she married her college sweetheart Allan Buller, who was then a sergeant in the Army. During WWII, while he served as a medical supply officer in England, she was one of many "Tillie the Toiler" office workers helping the war effort at home. Immediately after the war, they moved to Worthington, where they lived for more than 67 years and raised their family of four children.

After all four were in school, Mickey returned to OSU to get her master's degree and teaching credential, then worked as a teacher in the Gahanna school district. Later she was asked by her principal to become one of the first reading specialists in the new Title I reading program, a position she held until she retired.

She was a longtime member of the Worthington Seventh-day Adventist Church, and was active in both church and the associated school, and was a member of the Worthington Prayer Breakfast for many years. In her church community, and in the larger Worthington community, she was a gracious and generous hostess for many official and unofficial events.

She and her husband were great travelers, together visiting all 50 states and more than 40 countries on six continents. In her late seventies and early eighties, she went on four trips to Caribbean nations with her husband and/or one or more of her children to help build schools, churches and associated housing; at the age of 82, she was mixing concrete for a church in a remote mountain village in Mexico.

Mickey was a very loving daughter, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of more than 70 years, Allan R. Buller. She is survived by her daughters C. B. Buller, Jann Buller (John Curran), Suzy Juarros (Thom), and son Allan "Al" G. Buller, and by grandchildren Amanda Crump, Sierra Juarros (Chris Arnett), and Savannah Juarros. Friends are invited to visit with the family on Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Schoedinger Worthington Chapel, 6699 N. High Street, Worthington (just south of 1-270). A celebration of Mickey Buller’s life will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at the Worthington Seventh-day Adventist Church, 385 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Worthington. Contributions may be made in her memory to the donor's charity of choice. For on-line information or sharing, please visit www.schoedinger.com.