The Buzby Family -- An Alaska Pioneer Family
Barbara Buzby Boyle
Frances Barbara Buzby Johnson Boyle passed away Oct. 28, 2011, after a short illness at age 91. She was born Feb. 24, 1920, in Fairbanks, the oldest child of Jayson Grant Buzby and Isabel Croucher Buzby.
As a child, Barbara lived with her family on her grandparents' ranch, where her grandparents, Harry and Louisa Buzby, had the first dairy herd in Fairbanks. Barbara started school in Manley Hot Springs, then called just Hot Springs, where her father ran the N.C. store. When they returned to Fairbanks, she attended Fairbanks School and Fairbanks High School, graduating in 1937 as valedictorian. She attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks on a scholarship as a journalism major and was named the Outstanding Freshman in 1938. During her time at UA, she worked in the museum for Otto Giest.
Barbara left school to marry Norris Johnson, a pilot for the Wien brothers. He was killed in a plane crash at Weeks Field just weeks after their wedding. Barbara then worked for the Wiens and was friends with many notable Alaskans, including Bob and Molly McCombe, and Hannah Solomon.
She remembered watching Wiley Post and Will Rogers land on the river by her grandparents' ranch. She saw Howard Hughes when he landed in Fairbanks.
Barbara met Corporal James F. Boyle at a USO dance in Fairbanks where he was stationed at Ladd Field. They married in 1943 in Riverside, Calif., and lived in many Air Force bases across the U.S. Barbara spend decades running their six children to sports, music and academic events.
Jim Boyle passed away in 1989. Barbara continued to live in their home in Grass Valley, Calif., until 2007 when she returned to Fairbanks. In 2008, she moved to Lakeside, Calif., to stay with her daughter, Danielle. She lived there until her death.
Barbara was a warm, open person and a gracious hostess. She had a sly sense of humor and played a wicked game of Scrabble. She was involved in many social and community activities from Brownie leader in El Paso, Texas, to PTA in Hacienda Heights, Calif., to the Hospital Auxiliary in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She is survived by her sisters, Robyn McFetridge of North Pole and Betty Jean Wells of Valdez; brother, Sam Buzby of Washington; sons, Jeff (Linda), Greg (Surray), and Brett (Marcie) Boyle of Grass Valley; daughters, Danielle (Bill) Bogan of Lakeside, Calif., Rise (Ed) Adams of Bountiful, Utah, and 'Chele Bifelt of North Pole; 18 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; numerous cousins and other family members and friends.
A memorial service and celebration of her life was held on Nov. 12, 2011 at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in North Pole, Alaska.
About this website
This website commemorates the family and descendants of Harry and Louisa Buzby, Alaska pioneers and parents of Bessie, Marian, Jay, Ted, Elt and Bob Buzby.
My grandmother was Bessie Buzby Spencer, the oldest daughter of Harry and Louisa Buzby. My grandparents lived in Alaska until 1942, when they moved to Seattle. In February 2007 my Aunt Marty, who grew up on the family homestead near Fairbanks, contacted Bob and Tiny Buzby's daughter Alice Sims. Thus Bessie Spencer's family was reunited with the Alaska Buzbys.
To honor my Spencer and Buzby ancestors I created this site. Thanks for visiting the Buzby family website. -- Spencer Bryant
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