Willis "Buster" William Mathis

Willis "Buster" W. Mathis, 99, of Waukon, IA, died Friday, May 6, 2016, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 10th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Rev. Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Fr. Donald Hawes, and Deacon Mike officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry. Friends may call from 10:00 AM until time of services at the church. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Willis "Buster" William Mathis was born December 6, 1916, on his parent's farm in Lafayette Township in rural Lansing, IA, the son of Adolph and Nellie (Burns) Mathis. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Catholic Church in rural Harpers Ferry, IA, and attended Prairie country school in Lafayette Township rural Lansing. On October 19, 1938 he married Myrtle Magdalene Steiber at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Catholic Church. Together they farmed in the rural Harpers Ferry area milking Holsteins and raising Black Angus cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens until moving to Waukon in 1978. Buster also worked at the Northeast Iowa Sales Commission and Waukon Sales Barn for at least 50 years. He also built pole barns and did custom fencing. After retiring from the sales barns at the age of 80, he cut, split and sold wood. Buster also still fenced and cut weeds with a scythe at his Waterville farm and cut wood until going into the nursing home at the age of 95.

Buster was a former member of St. Joseph's Paint Rock Catholic Church and a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. He enjoyed being with his family and many friends, dancing with Myrtle, playing cards, and squirrel hunting. Buster loved nature being outdoors and in the woods. He had a great sense of humor, laughed and joked with everyone. Buster loved life and had fun with everything that he did.

Survivors include his children: Jerry, Bob (Jeanine) and Dale (Rita) all of Harpers Ferry, Diane Regan of Waukon, and Galen (Sandy) of Peosta, IA; 23 grandchildren; 50 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife Myrtle who died in 1997; a daughter Colleen (Maurice) Hart; three grandsons: Jason and Craig Mathis, and Jacob Regan, a daughter-in-law Karen Mathis; four brothers: Ray, Everett, Morris, and Delbert Mathis a sister Mary Lorraine Mathis.

Honorary casketbearers are Willis grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Casketbearers are Jay, Steve, Austin, and Kevin Mathis, Mike Hart, and Jack Regan.