Cleveland Buckner Jr.

BUCKNER, JR., Cleveland Born on August 17, 1938 to Noah and Annie Laurel Buckner in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He departed life on October 5, 2006 while vacationing in Jackson, Mississippi. After high school Cleveland enrolled at Mississippi Valley College on a basketball scholarship. Later, he transferred to Jackson College where he was an NAIA First Team All-American. Upon graduation from college, Cleveland played for three years with the New Year Knickerbockers. Cleveland taught physical education and algebra in Compton, and coached basketball at Enterprise Jr. High, Blair High School and was the head basketball coach at Occidental College. His career as a teacher spanned thirty-five years. He earned a Master's Degree in Education from Azusa Pacific College. Cleveland served the congregation of First Lutheran Church in Long Beach where he was a member for over thirty years. Cleveland leaves to cherish and honor the greatest love of his life, his best friend and wife for over forty five years, Joeneta, children: Tracey (David) Goss of Wilmore Kentucky, Cleveland (Kirsten) Buckner Jr. of Los Angeles, California, Annett (Byron) Davis of Valencia, California, five grandchildren: Mya and Victoria Davis; Noah, Caleb and Micah Goss; two brothers, Oliver Lee (Georgiana) Sledge, and John Sanders of Chicago, Illinois, two sisters: Sheryl and Annette Sanders of Chicago, Illinois. He also leaves seven sisters-in-law and seven brothers-in-law, a host of nieces and nephews and other family members and very special friends. "Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10 NIV