Maurice Deryl ‘Buster’ Souder, Jr.
Maurice Deryl “Buster” Souder, Jr. of Carthage, passed away on December 21, 2016, at his home. Deryl was born in New Castle, on September 27, 1950, to Maurice Deryl Souder, Sr. and Kathleen Orme.
Deryl was raised from infancy by his paternal grandmother, Ruth Souder. He spent his entire life in the Carthage area. He attended school in Carthage graduating from Carthage High School in 1968. He was a quiet, polite child who was used to being alone. He played clarinet in the school band and was the school projectionist.
At the age of 10, he began his welding career by experimenting with some welding equipment he had been given. It became his career later in his life. He started working at 15 years in his father’s service station and wrecker service in Greenfield.
His adult life and career was very diversified and filled to the brim. He worked at Roll Coater, farmed, and was a heavy equipment operator, a demolition expert, and a licensed explosive expert. He worked at the Carthage Paper Mill for 35 years as an outside contractor performing duties which included general maintenance, welding and operating heavy equipment. Knightstown, Carthage, Charlottesville, and surrounding towns have seen his expertise in sewer projects, pond digging, cemetery plots opened, foundations prepared, bridges torn down, and railroad tracks removed.
He worked for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the track safety crew for 33 years earning 33 silver badges for his dedication and service to the Speedway. He had the opportunity to meet and drive many of the car drivers around the track including Mario Andretti. He met Chuck Yeager during one of two races and was very proud of the work gloves he autographed.
He worked for the Conrail and Indiana Railroad Companies located in Indianapolis for 15 years doing contractor work including cleaning up derailed trains, installing new switches, removing old and installing new rails around central Indiana.
He has been a Licensed, Certified Welder, Millwright and Industrial Maintenance man for the past forty years as owner of Souder Welding. He was an elite breed of welder and has traveled extensively doing his work. Some includes the original Orangutan Exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo, building the flag pole that flies high over Indianapolis on the One America Bank Building,
He removed a bank vault from the 14th floor at the Bank of America Tower in Indianapolis, built the black security fence surrounding the Indianapolis Indians home, the structures holding the TV’s in the dugouts, much of the railing, and the structures for the food service area. He was especially proud of the railroad track he built at Fastenal in Indianapolis, and the Senior Citizens building remodel in Connersville.
He was an avid hunter traveling extensively throughout the United States hunting prairie dogs, badgers, moose, elk, bears, and hunting locally for deer and coyote. He thoroughly enjoyed riding in Wisconsin on the trails in his Polaris.
He owned jumping mules and performed at many state fairs with his mules. He designed some of the jumping equipment used by the State Fair for their contests. He raced Nova’s and Chevelle’s at Raceway Park in Indianapolis, and the Muncie Dragstrip winning many of the contests. He also enjoyed flying his ultralight.
He continued to own mules and donkeys many of which are rescue animals. He loved his kids as he called them including 8 mules and 4 donkeys of various sizes, colors, personalities, and temperaments.
Recently he was especially proud of his big draft mule. He was an amazing kind, gentle, and caring individual who couldn’t and wouldn’t turn any animal or human away. Whenever anyone called in need, he answered no matter what.
He will be so missed by his dogs Harlow, Maggie, Pablo, and Barn Cat. Stripes and Speck were so special to him and they will miss him greatly. He loved to travel and visited Las Vegas, Alaska, and Yellowstone with his special love and companion Nadine Henry and new friends Gary and Deb Hutton in the last two years. He wanted to hunt alligators, wild boar in Florida and visit Disney Land in January 2017. His dearest unfulfilled travel wish was a visit to South Africa in 2017.
This obituary is a celebration of Deryl’s incredibly unique, fun, busy, and remarkable life. His intelligence and what he knew of this world was amazing. He was a beautiful creature made from God’s handiwork and was a superbly unique gentle man. There will never be another like him as God broke his mold. He lived his life to the limit and cherished every moment. He will be so sadly missed by Nadine; his brother, Mike; nephew, Jared; the new extended family he gained when he met Nadine; his dear friends, Jason Hammons, Bill Jordan, Dennis Ison, and his extensive family of friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Maurice Deryl Souder, Sr.; his loving caregiver and Grandmother, Ruth Souder, and his mother Kathleen Orme McJunkin.
He is survived by his love and significant other, Nadine Henry; brother, Mike Souder; special nephew, Jared Souder; sister, Kathleen Zahos and husband; three nephews and nieces; and his extended Hutchison-Henry family.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27, at the Heritage Funeral Home, 34 West Main St, Knightstown, IN 46148. Celebration of Life Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28, by Reverend Marcus Dennis at the Walnut Ridge Friends Church, 8056 West 900 North, Carthage, IN 46115. Visitation prior to services at Noon at the Church. Burial will be in the Walnut Ridge Family Cemetery located directly across from the Church.
You may send the family a personal condolence at heritagefuneralcares.com.
The Hunt family and staff of Heritage Funeral Care is honored to serve the family of Deryl Souder, Jr.
