Joseph Buck

Joseph Perry Buck

Devoted husband, cherished father and grandfather, beloved friend, man of faith.

On April 28, 2015, Joseph Perry Buck went to be with his Lord. He passed peacefully at the Sarah A. Todd Memorial Home; our heartfelt thanks to the Sarah Todd staff for their excellent care and compassionate support to our father and family. Married for 59 wonderful years, he was preceded in death by his wife, Jamesa K. Buck, in February 2012. He is survived by four children and their spouses, Jennifer (Barry Breitenbach), Jeff (Lynn Olson), Jay and Janeen (Monte Willison), and three grandchildren in whom he took great delight.

Joseph (Joe) Buck was born in the Town of Lansing, NY on April 13, 1931 to the late Bertrand L. and Martha Van Ostrand Buck; he was preceded in death by his brothers, Bertrand L. and Benson T. and a sister, Catherine (Buck) Moseley. Hailing from a long line of dairy farmers, Mr. Buck earned a degree from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and pursued a career in agriculture that included his own family farming venture. He retired from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (formerly the Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association) in 1996, after nearly 20 years serving first as a Regional Organizational Director, for which he won several awards, and then with the PACMA marketing program. In retirement, he volunteered at the Carlisle Regional Medical Center and the soup kitchen ministry of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, taught senior Sunday school and sang in the choir of the Mount Holly Springs United Methodist Church; he was also a proud member of the Good News Singers (1980-1991 and again in the early 2000s). In later years he was active with and very much enjoyed the camaraderie of the Carlisle Senior Action Center.

Joe will be remembered for his abiding faith, profound decency, unflappable optimism, zest for life and devotion to family. He loved to sing, cook, eat, woodwork and spend time with family and friends (he was richly blessed with a wealth of devoted friends of many ages). Even as his physical challenges increased, he maintained his cheerful disposition and a grateful heart.

A “Celebration of Life” service will be held at 11:30 AM on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the Mt. Holly Springs United Methodist Church, 202 W. Butler St., Mt. Holly Springs. His family will receive visitors prior to the service from 10:30-11:30 AM. Fulfilling Joe’s wishes, there will be chicken barbeque and light refreshments following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mt. Holly United Methodist Church or Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation’s scholarship fund ( http://www.pfb.com/the-foundation/contributions ). Arrangements are being handled by the Hollinger Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Mt. Holly Springs, PA. Online condolences to the family may be made to www.hollingerfuneralhome.com .