Robert Buckley M.D.

Robert Buckley, 83, died April 9, 2007, in LV after a brief illness. Bob was born in NY City, the oldest of 3 children. His father Edward was a NY assemblyman & the 1st budget director of NY City. Bob attended Poly Prep Country Day Sch. in Brooklyn, & Fordham Univ. before enlisting in Signal Intelligence Secret Service in the US Army Corps Dec. 1942. Bob was honorably discharged in 1944 & decided to move to a warmer climate after his return to NY. In a coin toss, California won over Florida. The family moved to LA, where he attended Loyola Univ. & was student body president in 1946, the same year he met Barbara Ann Johansing on a blind date at her 18th birthday. They were married in 1949, 1yr before his graduation from Georgetown Med Sch. in Wash., D.C. After med school, he served 1yr of internship at County Gen Hosp. in Los Angeles (1950-51), followed by an internal medicine residency at the VA Med Center in W. Los Angeles (1951-54). He began a private career in internal medicine associated with Jack Davis in Beverly Hills before deciding to undertake a residency in psychiatry, most of which was spent at the VA (1957-60). In June 1958, Bob & Barbara & their 6 children moved to London, where Bob completed 1yr of residency at Maudsley Hosp. & a 7th child was born. From 1960 - 1968 Bob was affiliated with St. John`s Hosp. in Santa Monica, CA, & engaged in private practice of psychiatry. Never 1 to let grass grow under his feet, however, Bob became medical director of Hughes NV Operations, a position he served from 1965 - 1971, & the family moved from Pacific Palisades CA, to LV Nov. 1968. The years after Hughes were spent in private practice of internal medicine in LV until 1988 when he accepted the medical director position of Outpatient Clinics at UMC until retiring in 2003. Bob was proudest of his role in establishing the Lied Ambulatory Med Center of So. NV, which opened in 1998. Bob did not have many hobbies, but his med background took him to 29 countries in a professional capacity. From 1957 - 1990, he served as med consultant to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles` Lay Mission Helpers & Mission Doctors` Assoc., visiting missions in Africa & So. America. From 1965 until his death he served as a Trustee of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation & the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters, visiting foundation supported projects of World Vision, the Carter Center, Helen Keller International, Perkins School for the Blind & Operation Smile in Africa, Europe, So. America & Asia, including a favorite site in Haiti. Bob served as a clinical professor in medicine for UCLA, Tulane Med School & Univ. of NV, training young physicians to "Be a chief!" He also served as UMC chief of medicine (1981-1989), Valley Hosp. chairman of the Depart. of Internal Medicine (1983-1989), UMC chief of staff (1989-1995), & as member of UMC Ethical Resources Comm. (1997 -2003). Bob was a regular at the bridge table for many years at the Hualapai Club & the LV Country Club. Bob is survived by his loving wife, of 57 years, Barbara; 9 children, Michael (Cathy), Brian (Susan), Kevin (Silvia), Leslie Sweeney, Hilary Murphy (David), & Monica Futryk (Daniel) of LV, Jan Hart (Bill) of Lakewood, CO, Jill Stilwell (Jack) of Birmingham, AL, & Alison Davitt (Michael) of La Canada, CO; & 29 grandchildren. His sister, Ruth Welker, preceded him in death, & he is survived by sister, Patricia Marton of Houston; & dozens of nieces, nephews, grandnieces & nephews. Private interment Friday, April 13, at Veteran`s Cemetery in Boulder City, followed by funeral Mass at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of LV Catholic Church, 3050 Alta Dr., LV. In lieu of flowers, honor Bob by continuing his good works in the developing parts of the world. He was deeply moved & very proud of the work done by Haitian Health Foundation whose clinic in Jeremie he visited several times with his grandchildren & children. Haitian Health Foundation, 97 Sherman St, Norwich, CT 06360 or http://www.haitianhealthfoundation.org/ .