Laura Buck

Buck Laura (nee Thomas ) Passed away on January 29, 2024, at her home in Vero Beach, Florida. She was about to celebrate her 93rd birthday. Laura was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on February 7, 1931, and grew up in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, as the only child of John L. ("Doc") Thomas and Elizabeth Machen Thomas. She and her husband, William C. (Bill) Buck, who passed away in March of 2023, raised their own three daughters, Laurie, Libby, and Sarah, in Villanova. Laura will be remembered for her endless energy, her many creative talents, her wonderful taste and sense of style, and her generosity and impact on so many organizations. Warm and gracious to all, Laura cherished her family, who knew and adored her as "Lolly," and she was a lifelong friend to many. Laura attended the Agnes Irwin School, graduating in 1949, where she enjoyed her studies, played lacrosse and field hockey, and was an active member of many clubs and committees, not least the Welfare Committee, where, according to the yearbook, she raised "large sums of money for charity," proving that helping others was in Laura's DNA from the very beginning. After Agnes Irwin, Laura attended Bradford College in North Andover, Massachusetts, graduating in 1951. She then worked briefly as a travel agent, no doubt engendering her lifelong love of travel. In 1954, Laura married the love of her life, Bill Buck, and they soon had three daughters, a menagerie of pets, and houses in Villanova and in Avalon, New Jersey. They later owned houses in Nantucket and Vero Beach, where they made many close friends. They were the consummate hosts, welcoming guests for activity-filled getaways filled with laughs and fun. Always keen to spend time with her children and grandchildren, Laura loved nothing better than getting the family together by arranging trips to Broadway shows, to ski country, or to the islands to celebrate big birthdays or anniversaries. During their 68-year marriage, Bill and Laura were inseparable and always on the go. They shared many artistic, athletic, and charitable interests, and they were usually the first on the dance floor and the last to leave. Friends and family alike marveled at their energy. Laura was forever grateful for her education, and she remained a champion of educational causes, including both of her alma maters. At Agnes Irwin in particular, she served on the Board for seven years and volunteered in countless other capacities, including as chair of the first Winterfest fundraising event and as honorary co-chair for the 150th Anniversary celebration; the school honored her with its Alumnae Award in 1999. As the mother of three daughters who attended Agnes Irwin, and as a proud alumna for 75 years, Laura could be counted on to make calls for annual giving or to host an alumnae event. She felt strongly that a good education should be available to anyone, and together with her husband, she also supported both the St. James School and the Discovery Center in Philadelphia and, more recently with her three daughters, the SEGA school in Tanzania. Laura was also deeply interested in art and art education. She had a great eye for fashion, art, and décor, and she and Bill collected many forms of art, including antiques and paintings. Her interest in art education deepened in her thirties, when she volunteered as a teacher in "Art Goes to School," a program offered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She later went on to be co-chair of the Associates of the Museum. For more than fifteen years, she dedicated many hours to the prestigious Philadelphia Antique Show, chairing the event in 1984. She was also committed to the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia. In Vero Beach, where she and Bill spent their winters starting in their early sixties, she quickly came to love the Vero Beach Museum of Art, where she served as a member of its board and as an active member of the exhibition committee. Laura was soon co-chairing VBMA's Art of Dining fundraiser, and she was an integral part of the Athena Society, where she helped to select art acquisitions for the museum. Laura also devoted time to other organizations that were particularly meaningful to her. She and Bill were huge fans of the Philadelphia Zoo, where Laura served as chair for its annual fundraiser, the Zoobilee, in 1977, and together they supported several projects, including the zoo's Primate Reserve and the renovation of "Big Cat Falls." In 2004, she and Bill received the William Camac Founder's Award in recognition of their "profound generosity, dedication and enthusiasm." Laura also co-chaired the inaugural Philadelphia Ski Ball, which raised money for the US Ski Team, and she and Bill were generous supporters of the Indian River Land Trust and Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. In her volunteer activities, Laura drew on her many talents (not least her knack for throwing fabulous parties), not only to raise money, but to create enthusiasm and momentum, inspiring others to commit more deeply, as well. Throughout it all, Laura somehow found time for a broad range of personal interests and activities. She was passionate about her gardens in Villanova, Nantucket, and Vero Beach and loved flower arranging. Laura also enjoyed tennis, skiing, golf (playing into her nineties), and bridge. She was always eager to improve her own knowledge and skills, attending lectures and taking lessons to upgrade her game. Laura also belonged to The Antique Study Group, an investment club (where she was quite the accomplished stock picker), and garden clubs in Nantucket and Vero Beach. Last, and certainly not least, she enjoyed cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies, where Bill and his brothers were longtime members of the ownership group. Laura is survived by her 3 loving daughters Laurie Marshall (Sam), Libby King (Charlie), and Sarah Schmader (John). She also leaves 7 grown grandchildren Buck Marshall (Emy), Bailey Marshall Pritikin (Jordan), Jennifer King Mittnacht (Arthur), Hope King, Lila King, Bill Schmader, and Molly Schmader, and her first great-grandchild, Arthur "Bear" Mittnacht. A private reception will be held in Vero Beach. In addition, a Memorial Service will be held Friday, April 19, 2024, at 3:00 P.M. at St. David's Episcopal Church, 763 South Valley Forge Road, Wayne, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Vero Beach Museum of Art, 3001 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach, Florida, 32963 or to The Agnes Irwin School, 275 S. Ithan Avenue, Rosemont, Pennsylvania, 19010.