This obituary is included with the help of Jean Eves, Class of 1962.
Buckner, Joel, 77 May 24, 1937-May 07, 2015
Joel was born May 24, 1937, in Portland, to Norman L. and Lillian E. Buckner and died peacefully May 7, 2015, in Portland. Joel received the Anointing of the Sick Sacrament which brought him great comfort. He had three siblings, Peter Buckner of Sun City, Ariz., and Luanne Clark of Seattle. Another brother, David Buckner, had passed away. His funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 3720 S.E. 79th Ave., Portland. Joel married his high school and college sweetheart, Jerrie Ann Wilson. After they both graduated from the University of Oregon, they began teaching. Joel taught high school English literature and Jerri Ann taught elementary music. The couple welcomed three sons, Dennis, Eric and Kirk. Joel began a second career in the lift truck attachment business. He was in sales until he retired. His career took him to almost every U.S. state and then to the Philippines, Japan and Okinawa, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Canada, England, Ireland, France and Belgium. Joel had the ability to make friends on almost all of his sales trips and many remain friends to this day. A debilitating illness struck Jerrie Ann just as she became a new mother. This change in the family required many adjustments and sacrifices for both the Buckners and the Wilsons. Jerrie Ann passed away in 1988. Joel began a new life in 1980 when he met his soulmate, Rosemary Rey. Joel and Rosemary married in January of 1981. Their blended family included Rosemary's sons, Daniel Rey and John Rey. Life for the Buckner family began with a new day. Joel and Rosemary had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Miles have separated them from time to time but technology kept them linked together. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either St. Anthony of Padua Church or Huntington's Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Ave., Suite 902, New York, NY 10018.
Published in The Oregonian from May 15 to May 17, 2015
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