Jack B. Buckley

JACK BOYD BUCKLEY, age 81, passed on into Our Lord's arms on Tuesday, the 9th of October 2007. He was born on the 6th of February 1926 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was the older of two children born to Chauncey Jason Buckley and Ruth Wilkens Boyd. Jack attended Central High School in Fort Wayne where he completed the curriculum early and enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve V5 Flight Program on the 7th of December 1943. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in Shoemaker, CA on the 14th of June 1946. He returned to Rice Institute in Houston where he was graduated with a BSCE in June, 1948. Jack married his wife and partner for life, Helen, in Houston at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas on the 18th of January 1952. They made their home in Houston and had four children. Jack was an Engineer's Engineer. He was a hard businessman that was always willing to help a friend. For almost 55 years of his life, he was employed in different facets of engineering including contracting, equipment sales and design of many different projects. Jack worked for Way Engineering during and after graduation from Rice. He was, for over 41 years of his career, with I.A. Naman + Associates where he was a driving force in making it the preeminent MEP engineering company in the nation. Briefly, he worked for W.L. Lashley and Associates in engineered equipment sales. After retiring from Naman, Jack started his consulting business, Buckley Consultants, where he spent almost 12 years fulfilling his passion advising owners on their building projects. He was involved in the design of the air conditioning system for the first domed stadium, The Astrodome, as well as projects ranging from high rise buildings to amusement parks across the country. He also helped USAA expand their facilities across the country. Jack loved being part of the creative engineering process but he believed that one must give back to the industry. He was Fellow with ASHRAE where he served on many committees both locally and nationally. He was a member of NFPA, CSI, and NSPE. He helped write many national standards and codes. Jack served the City of Houston as Chairman of the General Appeals Board as well the Engineer's Council of Houston which helps develop the local codes. Jack provided both energy and resources to many different organizations but especially Cal Farley Boys Ranch, Ascension Episcopal Church and Rice University. He was a supporter of Rice Athletics especially Rice Baseball where he provided scholarships for two players. He also provides scholarships to engineering students at Rice and to theological students at Trinity School for Ministry and Dallas Theological Seminary. Jack was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helen Charlotte Sartwelle Buckley; daughter, Elizabeth Ann Buckley Till; son, James Sartwelle Buckley and daughter-in-law, Deborah Murphy of Houston, Texas; son, Dr. Steven Boyd Buckley and daughter-in-law, Siobhain Anders of San Antonio, Texas; son, William Henry Buckley of Houston, Texas; sister, Carol Jean and brother-in-law, Ronald Brown of Fort Wayne, Indiana; grandchildren Catherine Elizabeth Till, Jennifer Jacquelyn Till and husband, Jason Henry, Clay Christopher Till, Leslie Elizabeth Warren, Diandra Jaclen Anders Buckley, Jackson Sartwelle Buckley, and Shea Ireland Hart Buckley; and great-grandchildren Colten William Henry and Micayla Jacquelyn Henry. Remembering him will always bring a smile. Friends and family are cordially invited to a visitation with Jack's family from six until eight o'clock in the evening on Friday, the 12th of October, in the Library of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. A family interment service will be conducted at ten o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 13th of October, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Road in Houston. A memorial service will follow at eleven o'clock in the morning at Ascension Episcopal Church, 2525 Seagler Road at Westheimer Road, with a reception following in the Parish Hall. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made in Jack's name to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P. O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210; Cal Farley Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174; Ascension Episcopal Church, 2525 Seagler Road, Houston, Texas 77042; or a charity of your choice. GEO. H. LEWIS & SONS Houston, TX 77057 (713) 789-3005