George A. Buskirk Jr.

The former Adjutant of the Indiana National Guard from 2001 to 2004 died at home in the early hours of October 8, 2019. Major General George A. Buskirk Jr was born May 6, 1949 in Indianapolis, Indiana to the late George A Buskirk II and Mary C (Carriger) Buskirk. He spent his professional career as an attorney and in military service for 28 years with the Indiana National Guard. General Buskirk received his B.S. degree in business administration from Butler University in 1971 and his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, in 1975. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. General Buskirk was admitted to and a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of Indiana, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, and the United States Tax Court. General Buskirk’s business career began at Indiana National Bank where he rose to head of Private Banking. In 1991 he became the head of Trust, Private Banking and Commercial Lending for Union Federal Savings Bank until his retirement as Senior Vice President and Senior Commercial Lending Officer with the outbreak of the war in Iraq after 9/11. Immediately after the outbreak of war in Iraq he was appointed Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard by Governor Frank O’Bannon and commanded two battalions of the Indiana National Guard for its deployment to Bosnia in 2002. He continued to serve as adjutant general until Governor O’Bannon’s death in 2004. General Buskirk was twice awarded the US Army Legion of Merit among several other awards and decorations, and is credited with the re-activation of Camp Atterbury, Indiana as the largest National Guard mobilization base in the United States for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1988, The United States Air Force War College in 1994 and the US Army War College in 1996. Prior to his appointment as Indiana’s Adjutant General, General Buskirk served as Indiana’s Staff Judge Advocate and Assistant Adjutant General for Governor Evan Bayh. General Buskirk was an active supporter of military, veterans and community affairs in Indiana all his life. He served as National Treasurer of the American Legion from 1998 until his death, as President of the Indiana War Memorial Commission from 1992 until 2004 and The Indiana State Armory Board from 2001 to 2004. He was a co-founder of Hoosier Trust Company of Indianapolis, Indiana and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He was a past president of the Veterans Day Council of Indianapolis and served as president and on the Board of Directors of USO of Indiana for 20 years. He served as Chairman of the Board of Saint Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute Indiana for 9 years and as a member of the Ivy Tech Foundation Board of Trustees for 15 years. He served as President of the Indianapolis Bar Association in 1996, and was Past President of the Indianapolis Day Nursery Association. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Indiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Indianapolis Humane Society and the American Red Cross of Central Indiana. General Buskirk was a member of Calvin Prather Masonic Lodge and was a 32nd degree Mason. General Buskirk also served as delegate from Indiana to the Democratic National Convention in 2008, 2012, and 2016 and was National Co-Chairman of Veterans for Hillary Clinton for President for eight years. In 2016 General Buskirk was appointed to the Indianapolis Board of Public Health and Safety by Mayor Joseph Hogsett. General Buskirk is survived by his three children, George Buskirk IV, Anne Buskirk Bailey and Bradley A Buskirk; and, his five grandchildren, Murphy, George V, Lillian Buskirk Beau Bailey and Greta Buskirk; and, his partner Connie S Allman. Family and friends will gather on Wednesday October 16th in Leppert Mortuary, Nora Chapel from 2:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral service October 17th at 2:00pm in the Peace Chapel of Crown Hill Cemetery Peace Chapel.