Edward Forrest Buck went to Heaven on September 20,2023. He will be forever loved and remembered for his athleticism, handsome smile, his love for all living things and his unwavering faith in God.
Ed was born on 16 July 1937 in St Mary’s, WV to Mary and Forrest Buck. Ed grew-up in Sistersville, WV where he lettered in Basketball, Football and Golf (his true passion). Graduating in 1956, Ed had to put aside his aspirations to be a professional golfer and studied Architectural Engineering at Purdue University and University of Arizona. During his college years he became a Master Swimmer and was a lifeguard in Huntington Beach, CA.
He was drafted into the Army in 1964 and served as an Infantry Operations Intelligence Specialist in 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172d Infantry Brigade (Airborne) in Alaska. Ed was very proud of his military service and being an infantryman in the only airborne expeditionary unit in the United States Army. After his honorable service, Ed relocated to Southern California where he met Roberta (Bobbie) Constable. Ed and Bobbie married in 1966. He adopted Bobbie’s two daughters Donna and Patti and together they had a son Ed (Buddy) Jr.
Ed worked at McDonald Douglas on Stage III of the Saturn V Rocket – the rocket that propelled all of the Apollo missions into space and allowed America to put the “first man on the moon.” At the conclusion of the Apollo Program, Ed worked for Keith Engineering. In the late 70s, Ed and family moved to Willows, a small town in Northern California, where he worked for Landon Engineering as a draftsman and surveyor. He later returned to Southern California and his work at RM Keith Engineering.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Forrest Buck, his brothers William and Larry, his sister Barbara, and his daughter Patti. In 1995 he moved to Atlanta GA and married his high school sweetheart, Martha Cowgill who has three children; Annette Myers, Jeff Harr and Susan Snyder. Together they have 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
They moved to The Villages in 2006 and joined New Covenant United Methodist Church. He helped to start a men’s bible study and also joined a Prayer Group that met once a week at the church. In his spare time, he created pen and ink drawings, producing beautiful art. Ed loved gardening at their home and getting out on the golf links as much as possible.
A “Celebration of Life” will be held on December 16th at 11:00 AM at New Covenant United Methodist Church, 3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL. 32162. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: New Covenant United Methodist Church or https://k9sforwarriors.org