Darleine Joyce Bucklew

Darleine Joyce Bucklew passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 12, 2024.

She was born December 3, 1933, in Greeley, Colorado, and graduated from Greeley High School in 1951.

Her college year was interrupted when she met Willard Bruce Bucklew at Denver University and they were married on August 3rd, 1952. They were young and spent 67 years together until his death in 2019. They moved to Los Angeles, California where Bruce attended pre-med at UCLA and Medical School at USC.

Darleine earned her PHT (Put Husband Through) working at Hughes Aircraft as an assistant to the editor of the company's newspaper, IBM, and Assistant to the President, both at L.A. Federal Savings and California Federal Savings. She was the President of the Student American Medical Association at USC.

After Bruce completed his Urology residency at the Los Angeles General Hospital they moved to Montecito, and he opened his private practice in Santa Barbara.

A typical Sagittarius, Darleine loved to travel. Together, Bruce and she traveled from Tahiti to Timbuktu. She said it the way it was and was known for her humor and often laughed at her own foibles. She loved music, art, collected rare books and was a freelance writer. Many enjoyed her frequent gourmet dinner parties.

Darleine loved all God's creatures. She volunteered through the years for charities including The Santa Barbara Humane Society, The Santa Barbara General Hospital, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse of Santa Barbara, Lobero Theatre Associates, Direct Relief, Woman's Auxiliary to the S.B. County Medical Society and All Saints by the Sea Childrens' Library.

She is survived by their sons, Brent Bucklew, Craig Bucklew and daughter, Wendy Bucklew. ILO flowers, please donate to The Santa Barbara Humane Society at https://sbhumane.givecloud.co/givenow