Name: Memorial service for Charles M. "Mike" Buster
Start: 2023-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
Location: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Charles M. "Mr. Mike" Buster, 88, of Johnson City, TN passed away on October 31, 2023, at his home with his wife by his side, due to complications from a fall and Alzheimer's. He was born September 22, 1935, in Kansas City, MO to the late Della and Clarence Buster.

Including his parents, Mike is preceded in death by his three children, Michael D. Buster, David B. Buster, and Beverly A. Buster.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of fifty-five years, Pamela H. Buster, of the home; sister, Darlene E. Shiller of Idaho; nieces, Sharon K. Rider (Dale) of Missouri and Karen Grinnell (Vince) of Idaho; five grandchildren, Melissa Buster (Rick Upchurch) of North Dakota, Brittney Buster of Pennsylvania, Savanah Nestor (Daniel) of Michigan, Ryan Buster (Candi) of Arkansas, and Mickey Buster (Kayla) of Arkansas; eleven great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Tricia Buster of Florida; many cousins in Missouri; special cousin, Sharon Walsh of California; and special family members, Karl Coe, LaShayne Harris and Zakk.

Known as "Mr. Mike", he had a joke for all he met. He was proud to have served twenty-six years in the U.S. Navy as a combat cameraman and in photographic intelligence. He had the distinct honor to be chosen as one of the Navy team members to be stationed in Washington, D.C. to photograph the activities of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. While living in Winter Park, FL, he was the Cub Master for Pack 39 of First Congregational Church and was in charge of the area-wide Pinewood Derby Races. He held varied positions in his career: i.e., traveling from the Mississippi to Maine, converting TV stations from Black and White to Color and Line Haul Dispatcher for a national trucking company; early in his career he worked as a news department videographer at WFTV, ABC CH 9 in Orlando, FL, where he met his devoted wife, Pam.

Besides his family, his other love was for trains. All sizes, all shapes, 100% scale or modeling scales. His parents both worked for the Pullman Company in the railyards of Kansas City, as did he as a teen. Model railroading was in his blood from his youth to his death. He especially loved being a part of the George L. Carter Railroad Museum, previously located at the ETSU. He devoted many hours to building, landscaping, training and especially to being the "Tour Guide" for the "Tweetsie Railroad Cranberry Junction" model display.

It was his wish that in Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

A Memorial Service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 211 Mayflower Road, Johnson City, TN on Monday, November 6, 2023, at 7:00pm

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral Services, 3001 Peoples Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, is honored to serve the Buster family. (423) 610-7171.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Johnson City Press on Nov. 3, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Charles Buster

Sponsored by Tetrick Funeral Services - Johnson City.

2 Entries

Karl coe

November 4, 2023

Mike was like a father to me, shearing all his knowledge about trains and modeling, and of course my love of diecast cars soon became something Mike would love too see as and when I got new ones in and would pass on any doubles I had ,and Mike would display them in his cabinet in what was mikes work room.
Well there's so much more I could say about Mike but for now , RIP Mike ( dad) you'll be missed and all the things we had in common in the modeling scene.xxx

Dr. Fred J. Alsop III, Director, George L. Carter Railroad Museum, Inc.

November 3, 2023

I met "Mr. Mike" because of his love for trains when he first came to the George L. Carter Railroad Museum, then on the campus of East Tennessee State University, a decade or so ago. It was an instant friendship that continued to his passing earlier this week. Mike loved train modeling and creating model railroad scenery, and he was quickly drawn the the large layout we were creating representing the narrow-gauge ET&WNC Railroad, the "Tweetsie" where he used his modeling skills and expressed his life-long passion for trains. Mike excelled as the "tour guide" for this little model railroad whose prototype had its origins in Johnson City in the mid-1800s. He had a resonating actor's voice that he used to guide many, many visitors along the entire length of this layout from "Johnson City to Cranberry, NC" as he pointed out details of the scenic geography in 1/87 scale every miniature mile along the tracks. Nothing escaped his attention during his famous tours; the locations, the structures, the bridges and tunnels, and the history of this "railroad with a heart" that brought commerce to mountain communities throughout its 70 years of existence. Mike was a friend to every visitor and they always knew they had been an audience to a very special railroad man. Mike was more than a steady, dependable club member, only becoming absent on museum days when his body would no longer allow him to come to the museum. Mike was a good and cherished friend filled with knowledge and helpful to all around him. I truly miss his presence, his warm kindness, the impact he had on our railroad museum, and that wonderful voice telling others about the wonders he found in railroads big and small. He is a most-missed fallen flag.

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