Richard Buck's Obituary
Richard Charles Buck was born June 11, 1946 in Wiesbaden, Germany, with the name Richard Okupski. He was finally healed and went to his eternal home on February 19, 2014, from the Woodlands Healthcare Center in Leesville, LA.
Richard's parents, Edward and Maria Okupski (later Mary Buck), were Polish displaced persons who had spent WWII in a Nazi slave labor camp. His father disappeared in the post-war turmoil. When Rich was three, his remaining family immigrated to the United States, settling in Westbury, on Long Island, New York. He learned English in kindergarten and became a naturalized US citizen at age 14, taking the last name of his step-father, Charles Buck.
At age nine, Rich met the first love of his life when he walked into a music store and said he wanted to play "that thing with the buttons" that was in the window. It was a trumpet. He became very, very good and earned many music honors. Besides the school bands, he played in two local Fire Department bands. Also, as a poor immigrant boy, he worked many hours in a grocery store, starting in junior high. After graduating from Westbury High, he wanted to continue studying the trumpet (and also to get out of New York), so he attended Dakota Wesleyan University in South Dakota, earning a BME, Bachelor of Music Education. He taught music in Kimball, SD for two and a half years, until he was drafted into the Army.
The Army made him a clerk-typist and sent him to Heidelberg, Germany, but he soon found the 33rd Army Band and went for an audition. Just hearing him warm-up, the band accepted him, without the formal audition. That was the story of his musical and military career. Fellow bandsmen, on hearing him first play were amazed and impressed. Rich was a "screech" trumpet player, easily playing those high notes that other trumpet players only dream of, but he also played with a great tone and flexibility and was a fine classical player.
As a draftee, he eagerly left the Army to attend graduate school at the University of Northern Iowa. He returned to NY, but was unable to find a permanent teaching job. Finally he returned to Germany as a tourist, found his old unit, and re-enlisted. Playing his trumpet in the Army was better than being a civilian in a non-musical job.
Six months later, a new flute player, Barbara Schroeder, arrived in the band. They were married later that year, November 10, 1976, in Heidelberg. In March 1978, they were transferred to the 76th Army Band in Kaiserslautern. Then in April 1981, they arrived at Fort Polk, the 5th ID Band. Barbara got out of the Army before their son Daniel was born in August 1983. A daughter, Emily, was born three years later. Wanting stability for his family, Rich stayed at Fort Polk, except for a year in Korea. While in Korea he had a heart attack and had bi-pass surgery in Hawaii. The Army offered him a medical discharge, but he insisted on returning to full active duty to complete his career (and his overseas tour). When the 5th ID was moved to Fort Hood, he was close to retirement, so he kept his family in Leesville (and commuted on weekends). Throughout his military career, he was a friend and mentor to many younger soldiers.
When he retired from the Army, in 1993, he also gave up playing the trumpet because of dental problems. This was a terrible loss. Besides his career, the trumpet had been his joy, his great gift and skill that he could share with others. It was a difficult adjustment.
However, gradually he developed a new life. He was home and able to be more involved with his children. Wanting to be a better role model, he joined them at church and soon become very involved with the men's groups of the First United Methodist Church. He found a new musical life in the church and Vernon Community choirs, activities in which once again he shared music with Barbara. He further expressed his creativity in woodworking and yard work, both at home and for his church. He renewed the practice, started in the Army, of keeping a joke prepared to share. He became active in the Kiwanis of Vernon. He found a new joy riding his motorcycle.
Then in Jan 2011, life changed again after a fall resulting in major brain injury. So much of the "old Rich" was lost, but he retained his sense of humor, his love of music, and his love for Barbara and his children. Although much was now in his mind, rather than real, he still wanted to help and have his "projects." Until his final decline, he also often gave his caregivers a hard time.
Rich was preceded in death by his parents and his special Aunt and Uncle (Chucha and Voick), Mania and Bruno Zdunek. He is survived by his life-partner and love, his wife Barbara G Schroeder-Buck of Leesville, LA; his son Daniel R Buck of Los Angeles, CA; his daughter Emily M Buck of Calgary, Canada; and his sister, Helen Buck Kruska of Hempstead, NY.
His family would like to especially thank the staff and "family" at the Woodlands Healthcare Center for their patient care and kindness to both "Mr. Buck" and his wife.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00a.m.Tuesday, February 25, 2014 in the First United Methodist Church of Leesville. Burial will follow in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Leesville.
Visitation will be held on Monday, February, 24, 2014 from 5:00 – 8:00p.m. in the Labby Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Leesville, and from 9:00a.m. until service time Tuesday in the Church.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the First United Methodist Church of Leesville.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the Buck Family at www.labbymemorial.com
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