Fran Buhler
Fran Buhler possesses a unique background and experience which includes a 21-year ministry career, plus a prior 27-year marketing and business development career. From Fran’s two decades of grief ministry, conducting 776 funerals and memorial services, came first "the grief letter," and now the full-length book, titled: “The Grief Letter”.
He grew up in Lebanon, Tennessee, a preacher’s kid. He is a 1962 graduate of Carson Newman University, where he was elected student government president, voted football captain and selected all conference quarterback. In both high school and college, Fran helped teammates and class mates deal with team member and class member deaths.
Seminary Preparation: His education includes biblical theology, psychology of religion and pastoral care. TGL draws on the author’s graduate education from both the Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, completing his divinity degree in 1966, including Professional Certification in Clinical Pastoral Care.
Pastoral Experience/Church Leadership/All at one Church (FBC of Tallahassee, Florida): Fran has two decades of pastoral leadership and grief ministry experience. Fran’s pastoral and ministry duties include: Interim Pastor/Ministry Coordinator 1993-94; Associate Pastor/Director of Ministry 1995-2012; Interim Pastor 2012-13; Associate Pastor/Director of Ministry 2013-14.
First Baptist Church of Tallahassee: Buhler’s church averaged three dozen deaths a year. He performed or assisted in 776 funerals and graveside services. His two decades of pastoral grief experience were in a flagship church in its prime, 168 years old, a congregation blessed with multiple demographics in its ministries---Children, Youth, College, Young Adults, Singles, Hearing Impaired, Internationals, Adults and Senior Adults.
Family: Fran is the oldest of six siblings, the father of three children, the grandfather of seven, and is soon to be a great-grandfather. He has been married 55 years to his high school sweetheart.
