Norman Buchert

Norman Buchert, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2026, at the age of 87. He was born on October 26, 1938, in Hamburg, Germany. In November of 1949, Norm, along with his stepmother and sister, immigrated to the United States, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean on the MS Gripsholm. They made their way to Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI, and eventually settled in Madison, WI. 

Norm was the son of the late Johannes and Albertine Buchert, and is also preceded in death by his first wife, Patricia; daughter, Janette; sister, Aletha; and granddaughter, Patricia.  He married Patricia Altizer in February of 1957 and moved to Rockford a few years later. They had five children, John (Pam) Buchert, Michael (Nancy) Buchert, Lori Higgins, Kathryn (Harry) Peterson, and Janette (Mike) Maggio. Patricia passed away on April, 13, 1997 after 40 years of marriage.

On May 6, 2005, Norm married Colette Gates, which added three children to the family, Joseph Davis, Trina (Kevin) Kretsinger, and Jeffrey (Marjorie) Davis. In addition to a large family that includes numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Norm and Colette had a big circle of friends. They were devoted to taking care of each other and did that, to the best of their ability, until the very end.  

Norm was a manager in the tool and die industry for the majority of his life. He was always very handy and could fix just about anything. Norm was a social butterfly and never met a stranger! 

A celebration of Norm's life will be held on Wednesday, April, 1, 2026, at 11:30AM at The Bricks in Cherry Valley, 125 Walnut Street, Cherry Valley, IL 61016. Lunch will be served after a short service. 

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