Carl Adrian Bufflap, Jr.

Carl Adrian Bufflap, Jr., 92, beloved husband, father, and friend died peacefully Wednesday, December 24 at the John Keever Solace Center. Carl was born on February 10, 1922 in York, Pennsylvania to the late Carl Adrian Bufflap and Elizabeth Anna Desenberg. He is predeceased by his wife of sixty-five years Elizabeth "Betty" Bove Bufflap, his brother George Edward Bufflap, and grandchild Caroline Ida Peerless. Carl graduated from William Penn Senior High, York, PA where he played football and baseball. He attended Shippensburg State Teachers and worked at the Naval Ordinance Plant before enlisting in the Navy in 1942. Carl served as a Navy Pilot during WWII in the Composite Squadron VC-94 attached to the USS Shamrock Bay CVE-84. He flew 20 aerial combat missions in the Philippines and Ryukyu Islands for which he earned citations: Distinguished Flying Cross, 2 Air Medals, Gold Star, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and WWII Victory Medal. After being released from active duty he served in the US Naval Reserves and flew some of the first fighter jets at Willow Grove Naval Air Station. He was a member of the Francy Burdett Post #70 American Legion, Asheville. Carl continued his devotion to his comrades of VC- 94 Squadron as he organized 12 reunions throughout the US that brought his follow pilots and their wives together from 1986-2006. Carl was a 1948 graduate of Drexel Institute of Technology in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for SKF Industries, Inc. in Philadelphia then moved to Asheville in 1961 as the plant manager. He worked for SKF for 21 years before he became manager of industrial engineering at Taylor Instrument Company. Carl's many civic contributions included membership on the Asheville Transit Authority and his influence on the newly-formed city bus service. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Asheville and the National Panel of Consumer Arbitrators of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. He was a founding member of the Asheville Country Club where he played golf winning a Club Championship and twice shot a hole-in-one. Carl was a member of the Masonic Cumberland Valley Lodge of Shippensburg, PA, the Oasis Shrine Temple, and the Land of the Sky Shrine Club. He was recognized for his dedicated service to Oasis Mountain Dune Buggies and awarded Shriner of the Year, 2005. Carl faithfully attended the First Church of Christ Scientist, Asheville with his wife Betty. Carl was also a devoted beekeeper and past member of the Buncombe Country Beekeeper's Chapter. In his last days he continued to enjoy watching his bees buzz in and out of their hives and going on daily walks. Carl was a familiar and active participant in Senior Dining at the Weaverville First Baptist Church. Carl Bufflap is survived by his two daughters, Cathy Bufflap Peerless, of West Granby, CT and Asheville, NC and Nancy Elizabeth Creedmore (Chip) of Winston Salem, NC; grandchildren, James Samuel Peerless, of Raleigh, NC, Hannah Elizabeth Peerless, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Jacob Carl Peerless and wife Renée of Keller, TX and great-grandson Samuel Joseph Peerless. A memorial service will be held to celebrate Carl's life on Friday, January 9 at 4:00 PM in the Groce Funeral Home Chapel on Patton Avenue. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, Carl would want contributions made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children 2900 Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, FL 33607 also at www.shrinershospitals.org or the First Church of Christ, Scientist, 64 N. French Broad ST., Asheville, NC 28801.