Obituary: Francis Buchanan

Francis "Buck" Buchanan, 93, of Auburn, Maine, passed away with his family at his side Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Hospice House after a short illness.

He was born April 10, 1919 in Auburn, Maine, son of Arthur Perry and Addie Vaughn Porter Buchanan. He married Dorothy C. Austin, his high school sweetheart, June 28, 1940.

He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1937 where he excelled in football and other sports. He also played intercity hockey. He was captain of the ELHS Winter sports team, winning top honors in slalom and downhill competition.

After graduating, Buck worked at Merrill Haven Farm as a milk route driver, and then took a welding course in Lewiston. He was employed at the Bath Iron Works until his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1942.

After a tour of duty at Memphis, TN, he was sent to the Oldsmobile's Armament Training Course, where he learned to assemble different types of aircraft armaments blindfolded, graduating with an Aviation Ordnance man Third Class. He was stationed at the Kaneohe Naval Air Station in Oahu, Hawaii, until November, 1944. He was discharged from the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FL in September, 1945.

He was later employed by the New England Telephone Company, and after 37 years retired as a PBX installer.

Buck became a 32nd degree Mason in 1948 going through the Scottish Rite Degrees, then joined Kora Temple Shrine in 1952, having had 55 years of active membership. After his retirement, he worked on the Shrine Circus Lighting Committee for 18 years.  

An added accomplishment is the fact that he has given 143 pints of blood to the American Red Cross, 16 gallons in all. He continued until 2003, when, because of poor health, he was required to stop.

Buck was an avid fisherman and hunter. For 20 years he camped in the Allagash Region with his group of fishing buddies. He has shot over 40 deer in his lifetime, bagging his last buck when he was 89 years old. For several years he held the United Commercial Travelers Big Bucks trophy. He and his family spent many vacations camping in the Maine, New Hampshire and Canadian areas.

Buck spent much of his vacation times traveling with family, and celebrated holidays at the family home in Auburn.

He leaves his wife Dorothy; his three daughters Susan Fitz-Patrick and her husband Ed of Corvallis, Ore., Pamela Allen and her husband Bruce, of Leeds, Maine and Beth Bryant and her husband Wayne of Auburn, Maine; his six grandchildren Amy Harwell and Michael Fitz-Patrick, of Corvallis, Ore., Jennifer Davies and her husband Brandon of Fayette, Maine, Kevin Allen of Nashville, Tenn., Emily Bryant of Norton and Alex Bryant of Philadelphia, Penn.; his great- granddaughter Ellie Harwell of Corvallis, Ore.; his two sisters Barbara Jackson of Portland, Maine and Marguerita Heisterman of Wall, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff on 2 West at d'Youville Pavillion for the care he was given during the five weeks he was there along with the staff at Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice.

For condolensces visit www.thefortingroupauburn.com.

Visitation at the funeral home Friday, Nov. 30, 4 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to East Auburn Baptist Church Building Fund, 560 Park Ave. Auburn, ME 04210 or the Androscoggin Hospice House, 236 Stetson Rd., Auburn,ME 04210.