William Buckingham

1961 - 2018

William Andrew Buckingham

July 12, 1961 - August 22, 2018

Bill sailed to the other shore on Wednesday, August 22, 2018, after a valiant four and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Bill was the third child born to the late Mary (Fitzpatrick) and the late Henry Winthrop Buckingham on July 12, 1961, in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in San Marino, CA with his five siblings Mary, Jim, Ann, Charlie, and Henry. After Mayfield Junior School, Bill attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles, CA, and graduated in 1979.

Bill attended Stanford University, where he earned a BA in Economics in 1983. He was a four year member of the Stanford Men's Sailing Team and was named to the 1983 All-American Sailing Team. In 1985 Bill headed east, where he received a Masters degree in Business Administration from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. Despite the less than ideal surfing conditions in Hanover, NH, Bill greatly enjoyed his years at Tuck, graduating in 1987 with lifelong friends and a renewed appreciation for California winters.

Bill went on to work in New York City for Bankers Trust in 1987. It just so happened that his future wife, Joey, had moved east to practice architecture fresh out of UC Berkeley and their paths serendipitously crossed that fall. A whirlwind New York City romance led to a December, 1989 wedding at St. Monica's Church in Santa Monica, CA.

Bill and Joey were soon blessed with Eleanor Ann, born in Los Angeles in 1990. In 1992, Bill accepted a job with Goldman Sachs in San Francisco and the three Buckinghams moved north. They were soon graced by Grace Elizabeth, born in Marin County in 1993, and finally blessed with Henry Otis, born in Marin County in 1996. By this time, the five had settled in Ross, CA, where they would call home.

Bill spent the entirety of his career at Goldman Sachs in the Fixed Income Division. After 23 years at the firm, he retired in 2014 upon receiving his diagnosis. His years at GS yielded many wonderful friendships, both on and off the desk. The love and respect shown by his former colleagues has been most evident during the past few tough years.

Bill's biggest source of pride, however, was his family. He loved nothing more than time spent with Joey, Ellie, Grace and Henry. For him, family time was sacred. Nothing was more important than a pre-dinner game of dominos or backgammon. Bill loved life and rejoiced in California's beauty. He sailed, surfed, biked, snowboarded, and generally fooled around with anyone who would join in the fun. You just had to be prepared to sweat. A lot.

Later years found him almost exclusively biking, amazing his oncologist with stories of a "200 mile week!" while on chemotherapy. Bill's drive to live and love when faced with an uphill battle was truly inspiring. He never complained about the hand he was dealt.

Bill is survived by his wife Joey (Josefa Witteman), his children Ellie, Grace and Henry, his siblings Mary, Jim (Mary O'Brien), Ann (Jim Shea), Charlie (Gloria Navarro), and Henry (Czarina Germann), and his many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

Bill's family wishes to thank his doctors, William H Isacoff, MD of Los Angeles, CA, Bobbie Head, MD, of Greenbrae, CA, Brendan Visser, MD of Palo Alto, CA, Monica Dua, MD, of Palo Alto, CA and Ruth Rubin, MD, of Corte Madera, CA. Their combined care of him during these past four and a half years was nothing short of loving and heroic.

Contributions in Bill's memory may be made to The William Buckingham Scholarship Fund at Mission Dolores Academy, San Francisco.

A Mass in Celebration of Bill's life will be said at 10:00 AM on Thursday, August 30th, 2018, at St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Ave, San Francisco, California.