Tom Buche

Buche, Paul Thomas
"Tom"
05/26/1940 - 04/25/2020

Paul Thomas Buche passed away on April 25, 2020 at the age of 79 years old. He was born in Richmond, Indiana on May 26, 1940 to John and Elizabeth Buche. From birth, he was known as "Tom". His twin brother is Peter Jerome Buche, known as "Jerry". Tom graduated from West Lafayette High School in 1958 and entered Purdue University the same year. He was active in student affairs at Purdue and was elected senior class president. Tom successfully completed the U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. When he graduated from Purdue in 1962, Tom was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. After graduation, he began work in New York City with the Johns-Manville Corporation. Shortly thereafter, he was called to active duty and assigned to a U.S. Army helicopter supply and support center in Brienne-Le Chateau, France.


After Tom was honorably discharged from the army in 1964, he returned to the Johns-Manville Corporation in New York. In the early 1970s, Johns-Manville began a transfer of its corporate headquarters to Denver, CO, and Tom moved to Denver. Tom left Johns-Manville in 1977, and founded Buche and Associates, a firm selling HVAC equipment and other building and plumbing supplies to contractors. In 1996, Tom and his twin brother, Jerry, arranged a buy-out, and Tom retired from the company he founded.


Tom met Paul Stewart in Denver in the mid-1970s. They lived together as life-partners until Paul's death in 1990.

Tom was active in several organizations set up to respond to the AIDS crisis. He was one of the early supporters and a long-time member of the Denver Colorado AIDS Project. Tom was also an early supporter of the Human Rights Campaign in Colorado and later served the organization as a member of the national board of directors between 1997 and 2004.

Tom is survived by his brothers, John Allen Buche (spouse Anike) and Peter Jerome Buche (spouse Susan), and a sister, Barbara B. Atkinson. A sister, Ann B. Spedding, pre-deceased Tom. One nephew pre-deceased him and 4 nephews and two nieces survive their uncle. Tom also leaves a large family of dear and true friends from coast to coast.


The joyful celebration of Paul Thomas Buche's life will be scheduled at a future date.


In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Tom Buche's name to the:Human Rights Campaign, www.HRC.IM/Memorial, or checks can be mailed to: Human Rights Campaign Fund, Attention Chris Silva, 1640 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington DC 20036-3278