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| Taken in England, 1944, 12 days before D-Day |
I'll be flying home tonight to face what I've long been dreading. It's time to finally say goodbye to man that I've always placed high atop a pedestal in the ranks of the untouchables, the too-good-to-be-trues and the hero of all heroes categories. Our dear Daddy Buck passed away earlier today, in the only way I can imagine he would have ever wanted to go: resting peacefully in a bed in his hometown while holding the son of his only boy...his lifelong best friend. The two men had an incredible relationship, a bond much stronger than any other father/son bond I've ever known. It's truly amazing to think of all the times that Daddy Buck was there holding my dad's hands along the way, teaching him how to hunt, fish, catch, and gamble, I mean pray. He must have taken my dad by the hand a million times to teach him new things, to take him to new places, or just for the sake of taking him by the hand. He was very much a hand holding kind of guy. I can't remember any of us ever having sat down beside him without him reaching over and grabbing our hand or patting us on the arm. He loved to be close to his family, especially his boy, and to let us know how very he much he loved us. That's why I think it was so appropriate that after all the years of him reaching out and comforting each one of us with all of his love, handshakes, and pats on the arm, that he waited for my dad to come in and take him by the hand today and let him know that everything was going to be just fine before he finally slipped away peacefully, exactly as he would have wanted. It's like he designed it that way...I guess you could say he certainly had a hand in it.
"Daddy Buck" Buchanan: Born December 21, 1922, Died October 13, 2010, and did a whole lotta livin' in between. In fact, he did so much livin' that he came awful close to dyin' quite a few time along the way. This man was as tough as they come. He was shot in the head during the war, nearly electrocuted when he was blown off a utility pole working for the electric company, nearly bled to death when he sliced open his leg with a machete, and oh yeah, he had a heart attack somewhere along the way too. He was as strong as an ox and stubborn as a mule, and had the heart of a saint. He is truly our hero...he always was and he always will be. Godspeed, Soldier.
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| Dad and his Best Man, Daddy Buck, on his wedding day |
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| Me with Daddy Buck and one of his famous arm squeezes |
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| Sweet Sister Rebecca and Dear Daddy Buck |
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| 3 Generations of "Bucks" |
