Memorium
In Memorium Raymond L. “Buz” Buse III (1954-2012)
Mary (Heekin) MacConnell ’34 (1916-2011)
Raymond L. “Buz” Buse III SBS ’68 died March 21 at age 57 after a brief, but sudden illness.
Mary (Heekin) MacConnell ’34, died Dec. 26 at the age of 95. Mary was The Summit’s oldest living alumna and her attendance began a family legacy at the school. Mrs. MacConnell sent all five of her sons to The Summit where they graduated from Summit Boys School in the days before the Upper School was coeducational. The MacConnell legacy continued into a third generation with a total of 10 members who have attended the school. Among them are two former trustees and a former president of the Alumni Board. Mrs. MacConnell’s siblings and several aunts also attended The Summit.
Well known for his 17year role as vice president of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, he was a tireless cheerleader for the city in which his family had a storied history. Mr. Buse originated many zany city promotions including the world’s largest Chicken Dance at Oktoberfest, the world’s largest soap sculpture and the world’s largest Kazoo Band. He once said, “If you cut me, I bleed Cincinnati red.” Mr. Buse was given PR Week’s “PR Professional of the Year” in 2007, the PR News Media Professional of the Year in 2006. A resident of Montgomery, he grew up in Hyde Park. His father, the late Raymond L. “Pat” Buse Jr., was a thoroughbred farm owner and was part owner of the Reds and Bengals. Mr. Buse is survived by a daughter, Rae Kahle Buse ’04; sons, Raymond “Patrick” Buse IV ’02 and Corey Buse (att); sisters, Barbara (Buse) Vollmer ’67 and Jane (Buse) Burke ’70 ; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his father, his mother Marjorie Pahls Buse, preceded him in death. His funeral was held March 24 in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel.
Mrs. MacConnell was featured last year in Venue magazine, in an article about Legacy Families of The Summit. In the story, Mrs. MacConnell said the school’s emphasis on character education prompted her to enroll her sons here. Mrs. MacConnell was the wife of the late Charles G. MacConnell. She is survived by sons Stephen MacConnell SBS ’61, Christopher MacConnell SBS ’65, Daniel MacConnell SBS ’66, Timothy MacConnell SBS ’68 and Brian MacConnell SBS ’71; grandchildren, Matthew, Christine, Tracy, Samantha, C.J., Maggie, Katie, Scott, Missy, Michael, Kelli and Casey; as well as 9 greatgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
The Summit Alumni Board The Summit Alumni Association Board is dedicated to promoting the fraternal spirit among our alumni and ensuring the growth of our Alumni Association well into the future. The Board is a diverse group of volunteers from various class years. They meet a minimum of six times per year to promote alumni programming and plan our Homecoming/Reunion Weekend. Throughout the year, they focus their efforts on the Annual Fund for Excellence, Athletic Hall of Fame and Alumni Awards, and the Alumni Mentoring Program initiative. In addition to their meetings, members are often found on campus providing alumni presence at many activities and events at The Summit. They work to ensure that there is clear communication between alumni and The Summit, and encourage alumni participation in all that is happening on campus. Work continues on providing new and varied ways to keep alumni connected to The Summit community. Read about each Alumni Board member, what The Summit means to them and why they choose to serve The Summit online at www2.summitcds.org/alumni. 54 Spring 2012
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