Elmer Albert "Buster" Maass

Elmer Albert “Buster” Maass, 98, of Malone, Texas, was called to his eternal home by his Lord and Savior early Sunday morning, November 21, 2021.  Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 pm, Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at the Christ Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Texas.  Burial will follow at Hillcrest Garden of Memory in Hillsboro, Texas.  Visitation will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro, Texas.

Buster was born July 13, 1923, near Malone, Texas to Willie and Marie (Lentz) Maass.  He was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church, Malone where he later confirmed his baptismal vow on April 2, 1939.  His confirmation verse was Hebrews 10:23; “Let us not hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”  Buster graduated from Malone High School on May 30, 1940, where he was voted Most Popular.

He joined the US Army Air Corps (Air Force) on November 4, 1942, where he was trained as a Flight Engineer on a B-29.  He was honorably discharged on February 15, 1946. 

Buster married Frances Kaddatz at Salem Lutheran Church on April 15, 1947.  Two children were born of this union: daughter, Lana and son, David.  He later married Cynthia Markwardt at Faith Lutheran Church, Altus, Oklahoma on December 29, 1984.

In addition to farming and ranching, Buster began his long career in agriculture, joining the USDA Hill County AAA office (now FSA – Farm Service Agency) in January 1947.  In 1950 he became one of ten Texas Compliance Specialists.  With the Hill County office as his base, he traveled the state to see that county offices complied with program regulations, oversaw the aerial photography, and as needed, appraised failed crops following natural disasters, checking grain bins, and settling issues between producers and county offices.  He held that position until 1981 when the agency underwent a reorganization, and the position was dissolved.  He went through the County Executive Director Certification Training under Will Jones, Navarro County CED and was certified by the State on April 21, 1982. He was hired as Foard County Executive Director in May 1982.  While there, he oversaw the design and construction of a new Foard County Agriculture Center.  Buster retired from USDA-FSA on April 1, 1985.  In April 1996 he started work for USDA/NASS/NASDA (National Association of State Departments of Agriculture) as an enumerator; a position he held for about five years.  He then went to work for the Boll Weevil Eradication Program (based out of Corsicana) for about three years.  His “agriculture” focus then became his garden where he joyfully shared his bounty with family and friends.  He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Hillsboro.

Buster is survived by his wife of thirty-six years, Cynthia; daughter, Lana Gerik of Hillsboro; son, David Maass of Wills Point; two sisters, Frances Kaddatz of Hillsboro and Rita McCauley of Edmund, Oklahoma; four grandchildren, Tanya Gerik of Rockwall, Aaron Maass and wife Christina of Claremore, Oklahoma, Kara Hooton and husband Todd of Rockwall, and Ashley Dawson and husband Brett of Midlothian; eight great grandchildren, Alexander, Evelyn and Eleanor Maass, Sterling Wilder, Briggs and Bristol Hooton, Skylar and Hadley Dawson; numerous nieces, nephews and friends. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Lutheran Church “Kitchen Fund” at 915 Corsicana Highway, Hillsboro, Texas, 76645. 

The service will be available by livestream on Christ Lutheran Church’s and Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors’ Facebook pages.

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