Dwight Lyle Buschlen

Dwight Lyle Buschlen Aug. 25, 1925 - Aug. 6, 2020 Dwight was born on his family's farm in Snover, Michigan on August 31, 1925. He was the youngest of four children: brother Merrill, sisters Naomi and Eunice, who died from pneumonia when she was 9. Dwight enjoyed helping his father on their farm, riding horses, and as a child would find old gears from machines and use them as toy tractors. He attended a one-room schoolhouse called the Urban Schoolhouse until 8th grade. He attended Deckerville High School and loved sports. In 1940, his sophomore year, he made the baseball team and hit a home run on his first time up at bat in league play. He played 3 years of football, 4 years of baseball and was in track. He graduated from Deckerville High School in 1943 with only about 32 students in his class. The War began in 1941 and he got deferred until he graduated. Food was needed for the war so they gave him a deferment to farm the land and was never called to duty. In March 1946, he went to Cass City with his father to secure a loan to purchase a milk route and truck for $3,500. He ran the milk route and continued tending the farm. This was the beginning of many successful businesses he ran throughout his life. Dwight met Mary Lou at a skating rink in Snover and they wed on May 1, 1948. He had to borrow his dad's car so they could go to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. Their first child, Nancy, was born June 12, 1949. Dwight always remembered coming home from the milk route one day and Nancy came walking to him for the first time. Jonathan was their second born, followed by Amy and Douglas. In 1953, he purchased the farm on Mushroom Road in Snover which was next door to his dad's farm. He paid $20,000 for 140 acres including a 2-story brick house. The property had a barn with a silo, chicken coop, tool shed and an outhouse. They began a full farming operation including cows, pigs, and growing crops. The weather didn't always cooperate. So during the fall in the late ‘50s, he took a job at a mobile home factory, eventually ending up at Great Lakes where he became foreman for the metal department. Great Lakes expanded to other states and in 1959, the family moved to California, renting their first home on 713 E. Francis Street in Corona. Their next home was on Alta Vista in Corona. They had many neighborhood parties throughout the years and their neighbors included the Tomlins, Rankeys, Bonderounts, Bensieks, Bechtels and Bagdons. In the fall of 1969, he started Buschlen Industries on Magnolia in Corona, producing mobile homes. The business was very successful and in 1970 he moved the business to the Harvill property on 12890 Magnolia in Riverside, eventually purchasing the property. In 1981, he opened Instant Space, a mobile office leasing company. In 1988, he was forced to sell the Magnolia property to the school district and moved to the house on Buchanan St. in Riverside and Instant Space was relocated to a property south of Corona. Over the years, Dwight and Mary Lou enjoyed many trips to San Francisco and Maui, and European countries, including visiting Frutigen, Switzerland, his ancestor's village. Dwight was a loving, devoted husband to Mary Lou, who passed in April of 2013. He kept himself busy by gardening, working out at the gym, attending weekly Encore meetings at Crossroads Church, and remained an active member of Northpoint Church. He will be deeply missed by his sons Jonathan and Douglas, daughters Nancy Leagjeld and Amy Fickling, 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Rest in Peace loving father, may you and mom live together in heaven for eternity. Service Thomas Miller Mortuary 1118 East Sixth Street Corona, CA 92879 (951) 737-3244 | Monday 8/31, 10:00 am - 11:00 am