For the late Bob “Buck” Buckner, being a Christian meant lending a helping hand when and where it was needed. It was about deeds, not just words, said his widow, Shirley Buckner.
The late Bob “Buck” Buckner talks with a Southern Baptist relief worker at a child care center in Fargo, N.D., while helping with flood relief there in 1997. The Moriah Baptist Association recently dedicated its building on Meeting Street in his honor.She said that meant if it was Red Cross, Campers on Mission, the Salvation Army or local emergency management who called, he would be headed out the door in a hurry to assist flood, ice storm, tornado and hurricane victims who had lost their homes.
“His main goal was to do it all in the name of Jesus,” Shirley said. “After he lost his job when Bowater downsized, we felt like God was opening another door and this was our mission.”
Now Buckner, who died from cancer in 2005, has received another honor.
The Moriah Baptist Association’s disaster relief team has named its building on West Meeting Street in honor of Buckner, who was its director until his death.
“I was just overwhelmed that they thought that much of Buck to do that,” Shirley said, crying. “It’s such an honor for him and the legacy he left.
“We were very close and enjoyed working together and helping whenever we could,” she said. “Our girls didn’t always like it because we were gone all the time, but we loved it.”
The Buckner building is more than just a place to house two trailers and equipment. With cots, bathrooms, showers and linens, it’s also a fully functional disaster center.
“All we would have to do would be set up a feeding area in the parking lot,” Shirley said. She was asked to lead the team after her husband died.
“I’m not sure that most of the folks in our association know we have this kind of resource,” said Dale Roach, Moriah Baptist Association director of missions. “It’s a very good tool to have at your disposal.”
Buckner was not only part of the 40-member local disaster team, said John Platt. He was also instrumental in getting the building constructed. The money to build it came from donations made by association churches.
Platt, the former Moriah Baptist Association DOM, said when the local disaster team almost disbanded, Buckner helped get it back up and running.
While it was not called out in 2006, its members went to Pascagoula, Miss., in November 2005 to gut the interior of seven houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Its volunteer chainsaw crew can be mobilized by members Joe Snipes and Wayne Dutton and on the road in about an hour’s time when needed. Platt said Buckner deserves much of the credit for that.
“Bob Buckner really cared for hurting people,” Platt said. “He wanted to reach out and help others in times of disaster, and I think it was appropriate that the building be named in his honor. That reflects his commitment and his mission in life.”
The South Carolina Baptist Convention disaster relief team has named one of three annual awards it presents in Buckner’s memory.
The award goes to honor someone who has been a leader in all areas of disaster relief. The first award was presented to Shirley during the building dedication in November 2005.
“He (Buckner) was different because of his expertise in how various agencies work together,” said Brenda Lugmayer with the SCBC disaster relief team. “One of the things we learned post 9-11 is that firefighters, police and emergency workers all speak a different language, but Buck understood it and helped us work through it.
“That’s the reason why replacing him has been so difficult,” she said. “We grew from a tiny organization to what we have now, and he grew right along with us. For us, not having Bob Buckner is like trying to replace a company CEO. We’ve not had a volunteer with that kind of experience, and I don’t know if we ever will again.”