Family and friends are mourning the loss of philanthropist and entrepreneur, John Buhler.
Originally from Morden, Buhler purchased Standard Gas Engine Works in 1969 and renamed it Farm King Limited. By 1994, it had grown into a farm equipment empire that would eventually become Buhler Industries.
Not only was John a visionary entrepreneur, but he, along with his wife Bonnie, was also among Manitoba's most generous philanthropists.
In 2011, he said, “I’m a dreamer. From dreams, you get ideas, and from ideas you set goals. Goals need to be visualized.”
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Locally, some of the Buhler's notable philanthropic contributions include the Buhler Hall at Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, the John and Bonnie Buhler MRI Centre at Boundary Trails Hospital and the Buhler Active Living Centre in Winkler.
"Sadly, the Buhler era has come to an end," Elmer Hildebrand, CEO, Golden West
"I knew Johnny well," said Elmer Hildebrand, CEO of Golden West, having first gotten to know Buhler in the early 60’s when he worked at his father's Service Station. "He was a unique individual with huge ideas. He was a loyal and longtime friend, and overly generous once he achieved more success than most could imagine.
He will be missed by Manitoba, Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba where his contributions will last for generations
Sadly, the Buhler era has come to an end, and today my thoughts are with Bonnie Buhler and the family."
"He didn't dwell on the past," Ben Friesen, Chair of the BTHCF
Ben Friesen also came to know Buhler well over the years during this time as Chair of the Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation (BTHCF).
He said John and Bonnie have been significant supports of the health centre, located between Morden and Winkler.
"Probably, to this day, we would not have an MRI centre at Boundary Trails had it not been for John and Bonnie. And anything else that we do, we know we can always talk to them. They're always very willing to listen to a project and like to be very aware of what things are happening."
Friesen added, John has been a significant contributor to all of Southern Manitoba, something he says John instilled in him since his early days in the local agriculture industry.
"In the many meetings I've had with him, the many conversations I've had with him, he was always very much looking ahead. He didn't dwell on the past. He was never stuck, you might say. There was always a way to figure it out.
As many know, he always had the dream of building tractors and even there, there was many stumbling blocks for him, but he told me, we've got to work hard and do enterprise so we can give away. That was a big thing in his mind all the time - how can I successfully make some money so that I can give it other organizations that can improve the community?"
"It was amazing to me that someone who will have had thousands and thousands of employees and he specifically remembered him (dad)," said Winkler Mayor Henry Siemens
Winkler Mayor, Henry Siemens, echoed these sentiments about John's impact on the region and the province. However, he says he shared, perhaps, an even greater personal connection to the late entrepreneur.
"When we moved to Canada, he actually sponsored my dad's citizenship in Canada," he explained. "That was dad's first job, working for him. We lived in one of his houses for a number of years when we first moved up here.
What really struck me is, some twenty-five to thirty years after my dad had stopped working for him, when we made the announcement of his (Buhler's) contribution to the active living centre and the naming rights, he pulled me aside afterwards and specifically asked, 'how's your dad doing? Is he still driving truck?' This was years and years after my dad had last worked for him and he still thought to ask that. It was amazing to me that someone who will have had thousands and thousands of employees and he specifically remembered him. It's a story I hear regularly from others in the community, that John always remembered who his employees were."
"(His) contributions will continue to be felt for generations to come," Nancy Penner, Mayor of Morden
Nancy Penner, Mayor for the City of Morden, extended her deepest condolences to the Buhler family, on behalf of council
"His legacy of generosity and dedication to community development has left an indelible mark on our city. John’s significant contributions have enriched countless lives and will continue to be felt for generations to come.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."
Contributions at the provincial level include The Buhler Gallery at St. Boniface Hospital, The Buhler Cancer Centre at Victoria Hospital, the Buhler Reflective Gardens at St. Amant Centre, the Buhler Welcome Centre at the Manitoba Children’s Museum, and the Buhler Commons and John and Bonnie Buhler Library at Red River College.
In 2010, a major donation led to the opening of the Buhler Centre on the corner of Portage Avenue and Colony Street, now home to UWinnipeg’s Faculty of Business and Economics as well as Professional, Applied Continuing Education. Part of the donation was used to establish the John and Bonnie Buhler Knowledge Fund, which provides generous scholarships and bursaries to a handful of deserving students annually.
For their devotion, commitment to caring, The University of Winnipeg is pleased to offer John and Bonnie Buhler an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
John received many honours during his career, including “Manitoba Entrepreneur of the Year” in 1998, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for community service in 2002, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Manitoba in 2011, and the Order of Canada in 2012.
Bonnie Buhler was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and, in 2007, together the couple was honoured with the Variety Gold Heart Humanitarian of the Year Award.