Jon Gregory Fussell

Jon Gregory Fussell

Cedar Rapids

Jon (Bud) Gregory Fussell, 74, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away following a short illness on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

A memorial Mass will be held at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2023, followed by a private burial.

Jon Fussell was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 26, 1948, to Richard and Mildred (Neumeister) Fussell. He graduated from Washington High School in 1966 and attended Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. He obtained degrees in both Structural Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

He served as Project Engineer for the City of Des Moines for nearly 17 years, retiring in 2015. He was previously employed as a Senior Project Engineer for PDM, Inc. for 10 years.

He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Jon served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. His unit was based out of Alaska, serving on a fuel tanker.

With an avid interest in all things “train” related, Jon was a lifetime member of Railroading Heritage of Midwest America Inc.- Friends of 261, as well as a member of The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers. Bud enjoyed model train collecting and all things related to steam locomotives. In his own words, he was a “trainiac.” He was an avid scuba diver/instructor, taking numerous trips to the Caribbean.

John enjoyed a good cup of tea, and surprised many friends with bags of tea from his beloved Gong Fu.

Although Jon was preceded in death by his sister Anne, he continued her legacy by creating the “Anne Fussell Memorial Scholarship.” The scholarship was presented annually to education majors by the Gamma Gamma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Many future educators were mentored, nurtured, and given financial assistance because of his generosity.

Jon will be missed by his family and friends and his DKG “sisters.” Jon’s humor, outlook on life, and overall wisdom made each discussion special and endeared him to all.

Bud is survived by his cousins, John, Mike and Jeff Newmeister.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Anne; grandparents, Joseph and Bessie Neumeister and Harold and Martha Fussell; his uncle and aunt, Lumir and Norma Newmeister; and his uncle and aunt, Verne Fussell and Betty Fussell.