George A. Buskirk Jr., the national treasurer of The American Legion, passed away Oct. 8. He was 70 years old.
Buskirk, a member of American Legion Post 510 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, was appointed national treasurer on Sept. 10, 1998, during the 80th National Convention in New Orleans. The national treasurer serves as the chief financial officer of The American Legion, and is responsible for the custody and management of the assets of the organization.
He was a paid up for life member of The American Legion.
Maj. Gen. Buskirk (ret.), Army National Guard, earned his eligibility for membership serving in the U.S. military from 1967 until 2005, of which he served from 1978 until 2005 in the Indiana National Guard. His career culminated as adjutant general of the State of Indiana, serving for Gov. Frank O'Bannon.
Buskirk received a bachelor’s degree from Butler University in business administration in 1971, and his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law in 1975.
He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Indiana State Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association. In 1996, he served as president of the Indianapolis Bar Association.
In September 2015, Buskirk was honored when a street in Lawrence Township, Ind., was named after him. Buskirk Jr., and his father both served at Fort Benjamin Harrison before it became "a poster child" for a successful BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) transition. Buskirk Jr., noted that more than 50 commercial enterprises and hundreds of residences had sprouted up in recent years on the former DoD campus. Buskirk Drive was "one of the greatest honors of my life," he said at the ceremony.
Buskirk’s volunteerism included serving as a board member of the Ivy Tech Foundation, co-trustee of St. Mary's Charities Foundation, Inc., as well as being an officer with the Boy Scouts of America of Central Indiana, the Indiana War Memorial Commission and Foundation, the Day Nursery Foundation of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Humane Society, the American Red Cross of Central Indiana and the Indianapolis Veterans Day Council.
In a statement, American Legion National Commander James W. "Bill" Oxford said, “The American Legion lost more than a national treasurer today. We lost a treasure. George A. Buskirk was the kindest of gentlemen. We will certainly miss his sound financial leadership, but we will mostly miss our time with this affable, decent and smart man. He served his country during the Vietnam War and rose through the ranks of the Indiana National Guard to become its adjutant general. His intellect was without question. A senior executive in the banking industry, we were fortunate to have this great Legionnaire as our national treasurer for 21 years. We were more fortunate to have known him. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are extended to the Buskirk family. We shall miss him.”
Buskirk, a native of Indianapolis, was the father of three children and five grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
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