Gregory James Buhyoff left us peacefully on Oct. 31, 2022 after a short illness. Greg was born on Sept. 22, 1948 in Detroit, Mich., the eldest child of Gregory John and Josephine Bandyk Buhyoff. He was raised in Dearborn, Mich.
Everyone who knew him learned quickly that he was a proud graduate of the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees. He served for 30 years on the forestry faculty at Virginia Tech and retired as the Julian N. Cheatham professor of forestry. Greg was a well-regarded teacher and a prodigious researcher. During the Vietnam era, he was in the Air Force Reserve. However, as he often said, that was what he did, not who he was.
Most importantly, Greg was a wonderful husband to Marilyn, whom he met when they were both 17 years old and to whom he was married for 52 years. He was the extremely proud father of Matt and of his wife, Alyson. His grandson Brendan was the light of his life. Greg was the son of a skilled tradesman, and he took great pride in his blue collar heritage. He loved his family fiercely.
Greg was also interested in and inquisitive about the world around him. He loved the woods, geology (a love he shared with Brendan), radio physics, electrical theory, computer languages, and everything and anything technical. He was an amateur radio operator for more than 60 years, moving from a radio he assembled when he was 12 to the most sophisticated equipment. Greg was a private pilot, and he found ultimate peace and joy when he was soaring somewhere above the Blue Ridge Mountains. Greg was a forester to his core. He was most content in the woods surrounding his Round Pond home. Greg lived every day fully and passionately.
There will be no service at this time. However, the family will hold an event next summer to celebrate Greg’s life with family and friends. Should you wish to honor Greg, contributions would be appreciated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (airandspace.si.edu/support) or to the Round Pond Schoolhouse Association, 1426 State Route 32, Round Pond, ME 04564.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for his family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
