ROBERT BUCKLEY

1952 - 2023

BUCKLEY, Robert Robert "Bob" Buckley, of Salem, MA, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on November 26th, at the age of 71. The youngest child of Thomas and Helen Buckley, Bob grew up in Dorchester and loved to regale his family and friends with tales of the neighborhood and life in triple deckers. Growing up, Bob was a brilliant kid who questioned authority and had a strong sense of right vs. wrong. According to Bob, this is why he was eventually kicked out of Catholic school. He went on to graduate from English High School in Boston. In Bob's senior yearbook he listed writing, photography and track as his favorite hobbies, two of which remained an important part of his life until the end. Bob's aspirations landed him in the journalism program at Northeastern University. It is there he shared his geology and Spanish classes with a cute and quirky history major named Carol. These two misfits found solace in each other and fell in love, eventually getting married and having two incredible kids. Bob was a loving husband and a doting dad. He taught his daughters kindness and the importance of sticking up for the little guy. Bob, who was a lifelong union member, had his girls join him on many picket lines, where they held little signs as he pointed out the "scabs." Some of his daughters' fondest memories are of playing in dark church basements while Bob attended union meetings. His eldest daughter, Bridget, caught the writing and research bug young, but Bob, who had worked for many newspapers in his career - The Boston Globe, The Salem Evening News, and The Boston Herald, just to name a few - found the evolution of journalism "soul-crushing." He begged Bridget not to follow in his footsteps. Bridget became a veterinary technologist instead. He had many hobbies in his life that brought him immense joy. He was a research historian, a wildlife watcher, a find a grave contributor, and an award-winning erotica author. Bob leaves behind his wife of 49 years, Carol Buckley of Salem, MA; his daughter Bridget and son-in-law John Crawford of Marblehead, MA; his daughter Elizabeth Buckley and son-in-law Wes Robertshaw of Royal Oak, MI; his maestro grandson Duncan and his "mini Bob" grandson Miles; along with his best friend, Scot Williams of Queens, NY. Bob had a wicked sense of humor and a ferocious biting wit. He could deadpan a room into a fit of laughter. Bob also cared deeply for those in need. Bob would bring bags of walnuts to Salem Willows to feed the squirrels during cold months, would buy meals and coffee for unhoused people near his work, and took in many strays - including his future son-in-law. Bob leaves behind so many people who loved him, and now the world is left a little darker since he left it. Those wishing to honor Bob's memory may do so by donating to one of his favorite charities: MSPCA and World Wildlife Fund. Skal!

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