By Fred Steiner
A Gregg Luginbuhl coffee mug sits at my keyboard as I write this. Perhaps you hold one as you read this.
Gregg was artist laureate of Bluffton. The title passed to him from his father, Darvin. Before Darvin, it belonged to John Klassen. Gregg also belongs in the same class with other former Bluffton artists Richard Minck and Paul Soldner.
Today, art of these people is all around us and we are better for it. You’ll find Gregg’s art at Yoder Recital Hall, Memorial Field (baseball), DTR Industries and locations around the community. (Also in your coffee cupboard, as previously mentioned.)
But, for Gregg, his life was more than just art.
He enjoyed sports and excelled at it.
He appreciated an interesting Bluffton story and understood it.
He knew enough Swiss dialect to be dangerous, but used it sparingly.
He liked to give his dogs human names. Norman, for example.
He had a sense of humor.
For the record, Gregg was the most bow-legged student to attend Bluffton High School in the 1960s. He left Phil Yost, his only competitor, in the dust.
But, since Gregg was a popular guy lots of his younger admirers wished they were bow legged also. His was an admirable characteristic.
Much has been mentioned about his art. He served on the board of Ohio Designer Craftsmen for many years and was president of the board from 1999 to 2001. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ohio Designer Craftsmen in 2015.
He retired in 2014 after 38 years of teaching university level art. He was first tenured at the University of Findlay, teaching there from 1976-84, before returning to Bluffton University.
He served 30 years at Bluffton as professor of art and chair of the art department. He was named professor emeritus during commencement exercises in the spring of 2014.
A little sports explanation.
Gregg played basketball with the artistic ability that he threw pottery. Point in fact: he had natural athletic ability. He could dribble a basketball in the middle of a crowd and escape with ball in hand. Try it. You’ll probably fail. He didn’t.
Name the best BHS boys’ basketball team ever - he could have started on any team.
He did have a crazy streak, however. He not only played basketball. He also played football. Why? We asked. Answer – “So I can keep in shape for basketball.”
He also played baseball at BHS and was the most valuable player as a senior.
More about Greg: He was president of the BHS class of 1967. Homecoming kings didn’t exist back then, but he’d have been a shoe-in for the title.
Concerning Swiss dialect, this sums it all up for Greg. In 2011 we interviewed Darvin Luginbuhl for our book “Bluffton, A Good Place to Miss.” The discussion centered on Bluffton in the 1930s. Darvin was getting forgetful. There was a Swiss phrase he wanted to offer, but couldn’t remember it.
Gregg, who sat in on the interview, immediate realized what Darvin was attempting but couldn’t verbalize.
In the clearest Bluffton Swiss dialect I’ve ever heard, Gregg offered: “Dad, don’t you mean ‘Dash ish zum eina anderes Fogel [Vogel] singen?’" Then he chuckled.
Translation, take your pick:
• There once was yet another bird.
• Today there whistles yet another bird.
This phrase means that there will soon to be a change in the weather because the bird has a different whistle, or ‘bad weather coming,’ or simply ‘things are changing.’
Thanks, Gregg, for making Bluffton such an interesting place. Things in Bluffton certainly are changing, as you said. Your artistic presence helped it change for the better.
I’ll finish my coffee now.
