ROBERT CHAPMAN BUCKLEY

1923 - 2017

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS - Robert Chapman Buckley, retired Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court, was born in Canton, Illinois, in 1923, to Peter Mark and Marguerite nee Waugh Buckley. He died Tuesday, November 28, 2017, surrounded by family in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Justice Buckley attended St. Mel High School in Chicago. After attending Morton Junior College, Justice Buckley enlisted in the Army and immediately joined the Army Air Corps. He served as a pilot, navigator and radar operator for the 305th Bomb Group, flying daytime raids in B-17 bombers out of Chelveston, England. He was recognized for his service with the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the European Theatre Ribbon with four battle stars, and an Army Commendation Ribbon. After the war, Justice Buckley came back home and graduated from De Paul University and then went on to Georgetown University, from which his received his juris doctorate degree and was a member of the legal fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. While a full-time law student, he worked nights at the U.S. Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. as a Capitol Police Officer. The day he opened his law office in Chicago, Justice Buckley, then an Air Force reservist, was called to serve in the Korean conflict. He left once again, this time to fly jet refuelers. Upon his return to the U.S., Justice Buckley was in private practice from 1953 to 1966. In 1959, he was elected to the part-time position of police magistrate in Arlington Heights. In order to better serve the rising Hispanic population who appeared before him, he studied Spanish. In 1966, he became a Cook County Magistrate, then an Associate Judge, and in 1972 he was elected to the position of Circuit Court Judge. His service as an Air Force reservist continued, and, as a lawyer, he served in the Strategic Air Command and in the JAG Corps through the Vietnam War, retiring as a Colonel in 1974. Justice Buckley was appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, in 1978. In 1981, Justice Buckley was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court and served as Presiding Judge in the First Division from 1983 to 1986. He also chaired the Appellate Court Executive Committee in 1989, and continued to serve on the Illinois Appellate Court until his retirement in 2002. Justice Buckley has been a very active member of St. James Parish in Arlington Heights since 1957, serving on their Parish Advisory Council and being heavily involved in helping raise funds for the construction of their Parish Center. Over the years, he was involved in the St. James Musicals playing parts such as Uncle Max in Sound of Music, Mayor Shinn in Music Man, Moonface Martin, Public Enemy # 13 in Anything Goes, among many others. He is a 50 year member of the Knights of Columbus, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke Medical Center: Isaac Ray Center, and was a founding Director of the Clearbrook Center. His many hobbies included sailing, cycling, golfing, dancing, fishing, hunting, community theater and watching the sunsets over Acapulco Bay. Justice Buckley is survived by his wife of 62 years, Patricia nee O'Callahan; his children Gabrielle M. Buckley, Robert C. Buckley, Jr., Peter M. Buckley, Patrick O. (Shelly) Buckley, and Jacqueline T. Buckley; his grandchildren Patrick O. Buckley, Jr., Daire O. Dolan, Morgan E., Brendan F. and, Connor M. Buckley. Justice Buckley was preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, Mary M. Hagerty, and his brother, William J. Buckley. Visitation from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm, Sunday, December 3, 2017 and from 3:00 until 9:00 pm Monday, December 4, 2017 at Glueckert Funeral Home Ltd., 1520 North Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Prayers 9:15 am, Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the Funeral Home, proceeding to St. James Catholic Church, 831 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois for Mass at 10:00 am. Private interment at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Honor Flight Chicago Corp., 938 West Montana St., Chicago, IL 60614, www.honorflightchicago.org/donate, or to the Chicago Bar Foundation, 321 South Plymouth Court, Suite 3B, Chicago, IL 60604, chicagobarfoundation.org/donate. Funeral information and condolences can be given at www.GlueckertFH.com or 847-253-0168.