Wesley Fisher Buchele was born March 18, 1920, in Cedar Vale, Kansas. He received a B.S. (1943) in Agricultural Engineering from Kansas State University; a M.S. (1951) in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Arkansas; and a Ph.D. (1954) in Agricultural Engineering and Soil Physics from Iowa State College (University).



Buchele served in the U.S. Army (1943-1946), and worked as an engineer at the John Deere & Company Waterloo Works (1946-1948). While at the University of Arkansas he was an Assistant Professor (1948-1951). When he came to Iowa State, Buchele worked for the Agricultural Engineering Department as a Graduate Assistant (1951-1954) and an Assistant Professor (1954-1956). In 1956, Buchele took a position as an Associate Professor at Michigan State University. He returned to Iowa State University in 1963 as a Professor in Agricultural Engineering. Buchele retired from Iowa State on June 30, 1989.



Agricultural safety is one of Buchele’s research interests. In addition to designing many safety devices, he originated several agricultural engineering safety courses at Iowa State, the first courses of this kind taught in the United States. Buchele is revered as an expert in agricultural machinery safety and has consulted in numerous cases regarding farm equipment accidents through his consulting firm, Buchele and Associates, Ltd. He also served on the board of directors for Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.



Another of Buchele’s interests is the agricultural development of African and South American countries. He taught in the capacity of Visiting Professor at the University of Ghana (1968-1969). He and his wife, Mary J. Buchele, were also organizers of the 1976 World Food Conference, which was held in Ames, Iowa.



In addition, Buchele received numerous patents from the U.S. government. His most well-known patent was for a device that would form and handle large round bales of a fibrous material. He also designed blade guards for rotary lawn mowers, a tandem tractor, and devices for harvesting crops like strawberries and alfalfa. Another of his noteworthy accomplishments was the development of a ridge-till farming procedure that, in addition to saving farmers time and fuel expenses, also helps the environment by conserving topsoil and soil moisture and decreasing the need for herbicides.



Buchele was also an active member of many prominent international, national, and state organizations. These organizations include the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE), International Association on Mechanization Field Experiments (IAMFE), Society of Automotive Engineers, the International Society on Terrain-Vehicle Systems, and the National Institute of Agricultural Engineers in England. In 1988, he received the Cyrus Hall McCormick Jerome Case Gold Medal Award from ASAE.



In 1945, Buchele married Mary Jagger. Mary was born September 3, 1923, in Minneapolis, Kansas. After marrying Buchele, she became a homemaker and raised their four children: Rodney, Marybeth, Sheron, and Steven. Mary received a B.S. (1964) in Home Economics Journalism and a M.S. (1972) in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University. In addition to her duties as a homemaker, she held a variety of positions outside of the home, including teaching English and news writing, editing the Iowa Home Economics Association News, and being the editor and communications assistant for the Iowa State University International Family Planning Project. She was an active member of several organizations, such as American Home Economics Association, Agricultural Engineering Women’s Club, Iowa Press Women, and Iowa State University Faculty Women’s Club. Mary also assisted Buchele with his research and writing. She passed away in April 2000. Buchele passed away September 2017, in Ames, Iowa.