John William Bucher, Jr.

John William Bucher, Jr., 51, of Whiting, Indiana, passed away suddenly on Monday, July 6, 2020 at Starke Memorial Hospital in Knox, Indiana after a pleasant day boating.  

John was born July 2, 1969 in Arlington Heights, Illinois and grew up in Glenview, Illinois, where he played baseball in his early years.  He played football at his Glenview elementary school, and was on wrestling teams throughout his high school years.  Mr. Bucher attended Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois two years, then Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, where he graduated in 1987.  Showing a very early keen entrepreneurial mind, John owned and operated both security guard and limousine service companies in late high school.

Mr. Bucher attended Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois two years, then Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he earned his BS in Psychology in 1994.  After college, John sold computers and related equipment for CDW in Vernon Hills, Illinois.  After living in Florida several years, Mr. Bucher returned to Glenview.  In 2000, John began working as a Financial Advisor for Prudential, where he sold insurance and financial products.  He later settled in Orland Park, Illinois.  Since 2004, John continued working as a Financial Advisor through his own company, Abacus Financial, where he developed a wide network of clients.  In 2005, Mr. Bucher received his Registered Financial Consultant designation.  He was a very skilled salesman, and will be remembered by his clients for being very attentive, willing and helpful, both personally and professionally.

John enjoyed movies, the Chicago Cubs, and his several dogs over the years.  More often than not ‘on the go’, Mr. Bucher enjoyed travel both locally and beyond, including to Australia, Canada, China, Hawaii, Mexico, and regularly to Florida for visits with his parents.  Since 2011, he often engaged in water activities including boating, tubing and jet skiing with family and friends.  As of 2016, John also co-owned and managed a hair salon franchise located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. 

Starting in 2018, Mr. Bucher volunteered as a Reserve Deputy, first with an Indiana sheriffs department and later with an Indiana police department.  John was generally conservative,  and a strong supporter of veterans and Wounded Warriors groups.  He enjoyed riding motorcycles since high school.  A founding member of the Heirs of Odin motorcycle club based in McHenry, Illinois, John rode his Harley Davidson with the group since 2019.

His love of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and iced Coca Cola (never Pepsi!) was well known.  John greatly enjoyed running throughout his house during fierce Nerf gun wars with his kids, as well as coaching his son’s t-ball and football teams. 

John W. Bucher, Jr. is survived by his children, Lauren Ann and Luke Alexander Bucher, both of Whiting; devoted parents, John William and Olive Therese (Clarke) Bucher, of Leesburg, Florida; loving sister, Andrea Marie Goff and niece Elaine Riley Goff, both of Campbellford, Ontario, Canada; an aunt, uncle and many cousins. 

Visitation will be held Friday, July 17, 2020 at the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119th Street in Whiting from 4 to 8 pm.  Due to the current health situation, 50 people will be allowed in the funeral home at one time; face masks must be worn, social distancing is expected and temperatures will be taken.  A private Mass will be held; interment will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Northbrook, Illinois.  In lieu of flowers, memorials directed to Baran Funeral Home would be appreciated.  Expressions of sympathy may be placed on-line at www.baranfh.com or www.legacy.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John William Bucher, Jr., please visit our floral store.