07/03/2020
Those who loved and knew my father, Don Buck, we wanted to share with each of you that he joined our Heavenly Father early yesterday morning in the best of circumstances. This last week the Buck family took a journey on uncharted waters. The journey turned out to be an amazingly enriching experience for all of us. Going into this we were full of uncertainties, but what we were certain of as a family, was that we wanted Dad to be in his home and surrounded by his loving family and lifelong friends while the angels prepared to embrace him in the heavenly Kingdom. I know life circumstances prevent some from having a similar experience, but we pray that others will be as blessed as our family was during this time.
As the week progressed, Dad’s condition continued to decline and he became more dependent on us. It was such an honor to serve such a loving, kind, and giving man. We all felt honored that Dad entrust each of us in his care and comfort.
The night before, we collectively agreed that Dad’s journey on earth was near. Each of us shared a song aloud that has meaning in our lives. As we played some of the songs, many of us sung along and we could see changes in Dad’s facial expressions. My Dad had a true passion for music. Many photographs with “Pop” were taken and will forever be cherished. We explained to our children what a journey to heaven could look like for “Pop” which included his preparation for the trip.
This experience provided a tangible experience for his six grandchildren. They learned what loving relationships and lifelong friendships look like and what they mean to each other. Our children saw that it is ok to cry, laugh, feel a sense of loss, happiness, and at times sadness, and that it is ok to show emotions in front of others, who can provide comfort to them. Before the kids went to bed, we formed a prayer circle around Dad and thanked God for the time we had with him here on earth. From this man, we learned many lessons, each one of them provided a solid foundation that his grandchildren can and have built upon. My Dad lived a full life, and believed in having patience, kindness, forgiveness, and understanding and above all else, love for others. My Dad knew no strangers and he loved talking to and meeting people no matter their circumstances. Always willing to help another at any given time or distance. Dad always put others first no matter what his needs where or the effect on him.
My Dad was an amazing loving man and he loved our mom (Debbie) deeply with all that he was up to his last breath. I share these details to capture the type of man my Dad was and how he will be remembered. In June 2018, my Dad felt changes in his body, which caused him concern, but he decided not to share what he was experiencing with anyone else. At the time, Mom was doing her best to help my brother with a serious medical issue and the care of his children. Having been married for 40 years, he loved her unconditionally and he did not want to add to the situation. In January 2019, he made Mom aware of the changes in his body and shortly thereafter, found out he had a serious case of cancer. Dad tried a variety of treatment options and he was faced with the fact that there will be no improvement. The treatments quickly took a physical toll on my Dad, and Mom was by his side keeping track of all he had to do and the copious amounts of medication he had to take. Mom supported Dad’s decision to stop treatment, which had to have been extremely heartbreaking.
For me, I find comfort in this because he loved Bobby and Mom so much, that he wanted to make sure the focus was on his son’s treatment and not him. (John 15:13 – Greater love has no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.)
As I contemplated the question, “What defines the true measure of a man?” my Dad immediately comes to mind for a magnitude range of reasons. When faced with a time sensitive health condition, he elected to put his unwavering love for his wife and my brother above his, knowing that it could potentially cost him his life. My Dad’s love for them both outweighed the risk to self, because that was the type of man he was and I strive to be. My Dad was steadfast on his wedding vows and commitment to his family, which is so HONORABLE. His love and willingness to help others has always outweighed his own needs. In our conversations, I cannot help but to hear how much goodness, love and mercy he has for others. He fully believed in uplifting others and looking for the good in people regardless of the circumstances. I say these things because they are supported by the comments many have made regarding my Dad.
After graduating from the Mighty Oaks Warrior program, my Dad told me I was his “Hero,” which is an unbelievable compliment coming from such an honorable man. I will forever remember sitting in my car afterwards, holding his hand and praying that he find a place of guidance and a connection to God like the one I did at Mighty Oaks. I will forever remember the lessons my Dad taught me.
My family is truly grateful for all those who prayed for our family during this time. There were many shared stories about Dad, many kind words were written and they were shared with family members and friends.
I especially wanted to thank my Aunt’s Mary and Patty for having so much courage, empathy, understanding, and restraint and for always being there to support us emotionally with so much love and forethought at one of the most difficult times in our lives. On so many occasions, they have traveled from afar to support us during this last season. Aunt Debbie and Uncle Rich, we know circumstances did not allow you to be here physically, but the prayers and facetime with Dad meant a lot to us. Aunt Kathy, thank you for visiting with and praying for Dad. It is a true blessing having you all in my life and I pray that will continue so that the “Littles” can appreciate all that you have to offer. Uncle Joe, thank you sharing Aunt Mary with us, she undoubtedly had one of the most difficult task during this process. Meg Brooks, thank you for the many years of friendship, support and for being the voice of reason, sharing what you learned when you were faced with the death of your husband, Charlie Brooks. Wayne Owens, thank you for being a lifelong friend and one of my Dad’s brothers of 54 years. The memories you made with Dad have turned into wonderful stories, and we loved hearing them and seeing the joy they brought to him. The love you have for him is real and evident. My Dad always told me that you should surround yourself with amazingly loving and caring people, and in my Dad’s eyes, you are one of those people.
Mom, I want to thank you for remaining steadfast on your commitment to Dad and your wedding vows. Thank you for allowing Dad the choice to stop suffering. I know Dad was hurting and that he was frustrated because he was physically not able to do want he once was able to do on his own freewill. Mom, I know this had to be one of the most difficult decisions of your life, and it is another example of the unwavering love you had for each other.
I want to thank my wife, Stefanie Buck for being right there by my side every step of the way, just as mom was for Dad. Your love, understanding, support and patience during this time is undoubtedly appreciated more than you will ever know. Dad loved you like the daughter he never had and all the beautiful grandchildren you brought into this world.
I want to thank my brother, Bobby Semones for helping with the care of Dad during his final days. Lori Semones, thank you for rekindling a long lost flame with Bobby and bringing the five grandchildren into Dad’s life. The joy on his face when all of our children were together was unmeasurable, and he never hesitated to share his love and joy with all who met him. More importantly, I am grateful we fulfilled Dads request and we all look forward to spending time with you and watching our children grow up together. I especially look forward to having my old surfing bubby back! My heart tells me this will be a place we can share with Dad because of his love for the ocean and all the good it does for all of us.
I want to thank my Mother-in-Law Kathy Flores, for supporting us by taking care of the Buck & Doe Ranch, so that we as a family could concentrate on Dads care during his final moments and so we could be here when he left us.
My Dad was there during my first breath and I was there for his last, but I know he will always be over me, guiding me as needed until we meet again. Dad truly lived a purpose driven life, a full life and in doing so, he helped so many other people.
I will forever miss the heart to heart, father and son talks. Using all that he learned throughout the years, he shared with me a different perspective that helped me in so many ways, both personally and professionally. Many of the things I learned from Dad, I have tried to apply in my life, my family’s lives, and the people I meet.
I will forever cherish the memories of our father son time, memories like our motorcycle trip, fishing in Springville, the attendance at my last law enforcement academy class graduation and our trip to Wall Beach.
My Dad had always dreamt of riding a motorcycle with his sons. The fishing trip in Springville proved to be a challenge, but my Dad has never met a challenge that he could not overcome. During my last academy graduation, Ken George spoke highly of the teaching I did, which is a direct representation of the many things I learned from my Dad. He was proud of my career choice because I have the ability to help so many people using the things I learned from him, continuing his legacy. The Wall Beach trip, allowed us to enjoy a place where he enjoyed taking in the sights of all Gods creation, gathering his thoughts and relaxing. I will undoubtedly cherish this last Father’s Day, where Bobby’s and my family celebrated our Father, together. I will also cherish this last week, as so many things were accomplished. We worked together as a family, resolved issues, and started planning for future events, which my Dad longed for.
As I ride this roller coaster ride of emotions, I will lean on my loving and supportive family and friends for guidance and support. I will also rely on my Corner Men who also supported me during this time and prayed for Dad’s peaceful entry into Heaven.
Dad spent many hours volunteering with the care and feeding of several of the dogs at Shadow’s Fund after Gabe passed away. Time spent with them brought him so much joy and comfort. In memory of my dad and in lieu of flowers, you can send donations to the special link below, a memorial to my Dad from Shadows Fund.
I will cherish all the memories and look forward to giving you a big hug when it is my turn to meet our Heavenly Father. I LOVE YOU DAD!
If you have any stories to share about my Dad, I would love to share them with my Brothers and his Grandchildren.
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