Jim Bucher (L) is being honored posthumously as the grand marshal of Akron’s Fourth of July parade, set to start at 11 a.m. Monday, July 4. He was known for traveling around town on his blue golf cart later in life, sometimes with his granddaughter, Alivia Bucher (R). Photo provided.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — Jim Bucher was a familiar face around Akron.

Two of his children, Amy Cooper and Jeff Bucher, shared with InkFreeNews how Jim would travel around town on his blue golf cart greeting other people.

Though Jim passed away in February at age 85, his hometown will honor him on Monday, July 4, when he will posthumously serve as the grand marshal of the Akron Fourth of July parade.

It’s actually one of two recognitions that Jim will receive as part of this year’s festival. His name has also been added to the title of the annual car show, which he helped organize for years.

Bucher spent nearly all his lifetime in the Akron area, save for some time he lived in California. Born on Aug. 14, 1936, he went to Beaver Dam High School.

He married the late E. “Joan” Floor on Sept. 23, 1956. They would have five children, Amy, Jeff, Joy McDonough, Jerry Bucher and Jim Bucher Jr.

Jim and Joan would raise the kids at Rock Lake, just outside Akron. There, the family had a three-car garage, but it wasn’t to store their personal cars in.

“Dad always believed a garage was for race cars or fixing cars and tools, not to have family cars parked in it,” said Jeff.

Cars were a passion of Jim’s, both for work and for play. By trade, he was a mechanic, with part of his career spent working for Shepherd’s Chevrolet of North Manchester.

Being a skilled mechanic, Jim’s advice was often sought away from his places of employment. His children remember people contacting him with various car issues.

His passion was also expressed at the racetrack.

Jim would race late model stock cars at Kokomo, Warsaw and Avilla, so much so that his family notes that the kids grew up in a sense at racetracks. Jim always raced a No. 2 car, said Jeff.

Jim would be named manager of the Warsaw Motor Speedway for a time, beginning in 1978. Later on he was inducted into its hall of fame.

He also enjoyed his personal car collection, with Jeff remembering his father traveling to California to pick up a 1967 Chevrolet Impala and driving it all the way back.

Jim would eventually help organize the Fourth’s car show, which Amy said “made him happy” because “people invited him to be involved.”

He and Joan would move into town from Rock Lake, and Jim would take his golf cart around town, sometimes with family riding on it.

He had a set routine with his friends, riding on the cart to the Akron Mini Mart for coffee with his buddies, then later meeting up for a meal with them at Jonesy’s Junction.

Amy admitted out of habit that she still will sometimes “just look to see if his golf cart is out” in town.

Jeff said his father would be “honored” to know that he was the parade grand marshal.

“This would mean so much to Dad,” added Amy.

A number of Jim’s family, which now includes grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, will be at the front of the parade in his stead.