BIEHLE, Mo. -- The Buchheit company is mourning the passing of its founder.

Rudy Buchheit, who died Monday at age 96, opened his first store Feb. 2, 1934. Seventy-five years later, the company has expanded to agricultural and trucking operations in Illinois, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

But even with his success he remained dedicated to his family and community, said daughter Donna Hoeckele of Perryville, Mo. Buchheit is survived by 11 children, 34 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

"Some of my fondest memories of childhood were scooping out ice cream or selling soda to customers on Sundays," Hoeckele said, noting that his church and faith were extremely important to him. "If a person needed something, he was willing to help them out the best he could."

Hoeckele and her 10 siblings called their father a self-made success.

Born July 2, 1912, Buchheit was one of eight children to grow up on the family farm in Apple Creek. When he was 12 years old his entire family survived one of the deadliest tornadoes to hit Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, killing more than 100 in 1925.

Buchheit left the family farm and began hauling livestock, corn and hay from Perry County to St. Louis. An increasing demand for his services led him to start his first Buchheit store during the Great Depression. Among the items he sold were pickled herring, flour, sugar, white beans, barrels of salt, hand ground coffee beans, rice and prunes.

"I did not have the money to buy [the store at first], but the people who owned it financed it for me," Rudy Buchheit said in a company newsletter published five years ago. "They trusted I would pay for it, so I didn't have to put any money down."

The original store was destroyed by a fire April 19, 1986, though another structure was later built in its place. The site is now home to Buchheit's corporate office, training center and distribution center. More than 800 employees work for the company.

His children said personalized customer service was important to their father and that he instilled that idea in them at an early age. Numerous children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren work for the company today.

"He encourages us to do our best," said Jane Sell of Petaluma, Calif. "He insisted we have a college education, even though he only had an eighth grade education himself. He always knew the right thing to give us and wanted us to have things to remember him by and enjoy while he was still around."

President Tim Buchheit said his grandfather's legacy of hard work, family values and generosity will be remembered by family members and the thousands of customers and others he touched.

"He led by example and was willing to adapt and try new things," he said. "No matter how busy he was, he always took time to visit with customers and they trusted him. That's how he built his business to what it has become today."

Friends may call from 3 to 9 p.m. today at St. Maurus Catholic Church in Biehle, with a wake at 7 p.m. Visitation continues from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent address:

Biehle, MO