Iva Dean Kirkland Buchhorn April 7, 1943 - May 6, 2025 Iva Dean Kirkland Buchhorn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, after a long and courageous journey with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 82 years old.
Born on April 7, 1943, in Austin, Arkansas, Iva was one of 7 children raised on a family farm. Her childhood was filled with love, laughter, and the occasional sibling shenanigans. She often spoke fondly of walking a mile to catch the school bus, toiling beside her siblings in the fields, and spending time with their loyal dog, Bounce. These early years instilled in her a deep connection to her roots and family.
As a young woman, Iva moved to Georgetown, Texas to live with her sister and brother-in-law. It was a season of fun, laughter, and independence, and a time that would forever change her life. While working, she met the love of her life, Odell Buchhorn. As her sister-in-law fondly puts it, “The rest is history.” Iva and Odell were married when she was 21, in Weir, Texas, beginning a partnership filled with deep love, adventure, and unwavering devotion.
After marrying, they moved to San Antonio, Texas, where they built a life rooted in hard work and commitment. Odell started his own business, and Iva was his steady, unwavering support through every step. She worked for many years at the front desk of a local dental office, where her kind smile and calm presence made everyone feel at ease. Her warmth left a lasting impression, so much so that her children and grandchildren still go to the same practice where she once welcomed so many through the doors.
Iva lived a life with joy and a strong spirit. She was an exceptional baker, great with pies, and a family favorite was her coconut delight and other sweet treats. She and Odell enjoyed bowling together and proudly displayed her many high-game trophies. She was Secretary of Alpha Omega Chi sorority and remained proud of her sisterhood. Together, she and Odell traveled across the country, visiting national parks, new sights, and regular trips to the coast with family, spending lots of time in Georgetown and Arkansas with family.
She was known for her kind heart, gentle nature, and everpresent sense of humor. Iva rarely raised her voice, always found joy in simple things, and made everyone feel welcome with her quiet wisdom and light-hearted presence. She had a deep love for her family and often expressed her wish to return to Arkansas, the place that always held a piece of her heart.
Later in life, Iva and Odell lived in Burnet, Texas, for 20 years. While Odell loved spending his days on the golf course, Iva was far less impressed, often commenting about how slow the game was. She even gave golf lessons a try and picked up a club now and then, but in the end, she decided it wasn’t for her. Instead, she found joy in simpler pleasures: spending time in their garden, watching the birds, and indulging in her favorite pastime, shopping. She especially enjoyed volunteering at a local thrift store.
At home, Iva loved watching her favorite old Westerns and Little House on the Prairie. The nostalgia of those shows reminded her of her childhood on the farm and brought her comfort, laughter, and a sense of home.
She also spent many hours playing card games, joker, and dominoes with family or friends, a tradition she enjoyed well into her years. Her playful, easygoing nature was a constant source of joy to those around her. Sometimes she’d forget the rules, draw extra cards, or accuse others of cheating, only to laugh when we pointed out it was her all along. As Alzheimer’s began to affect her memory, her sense of humor and love for a good game never faded.
Iva and Odell’s love stood the test of time. Even in her late years, as Alzheimer’s challenged her memory, she always felt Odell’s presence. Though she struggled with names and faces, she never stopped recognizing the safety of their love and bond, which remained unshaken to the very end.
Iva was preceded in death by her parents, William Harvey Kirkland and Dorothy Marie Ward Kirkland, and her sisters, Wanda Kirkland Griffith, Margarette Kirkland Yeary, Rose Marie Kirkland Pate.
She is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Odell Buchhorn; her children, Becky (Tom) Pettyjohn and Scott Buchhorn; her grandchildren, Amanda Pettyjohn and Bryce (Jessica) Pettyjohn; and siblings, Ralph (Wilma) Kirkland, Linda (David) Cline, and Janice (Junior) Combs, and many beloved nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends. She was a wonderful spouse, sister, friend, mother, and grandmother. We will miss her deeply.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 E Polk, Burnet, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Iva’s memory, to support continued research and care for those afflicted by this disease: https://bit.ly/Iva-Buchhorn
