RED OAK, N.C. – Donald “Don” Arthur Buck, 85, of Red Oak, N.C. passed away suddenly Aug. 27, 2021 at Nash UNC Health Care.

A funeral service to celebrate Don’s life was held at 11 a.m. on Aug. 31 at Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Rocky Mount, N.C. Visitation was from 7 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 30 at Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home, Rocky Mount, N.C.

Don was born July 24, 1936 in Peru to Alexander Peter Buck and Laura Anna (Quesse) Buck, the youngest of seven children.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Alice; his first wife, Rose; four children, Jay (Barb) and Jeff (Mercy) of Houston, Texas, JeanneMarie (Arden) of Berthoud, Colo. and Jonathan (Jill) of Atlanta, Ga.; five grandchildren, Alexander, Katherine, Grace, Eleanor and Lauren; many loving cousins; and two step-children, Mark and Kevin and their children.

He was preceded in death by his parents and six siblings, Wilbur, Howard, John, Dorothy, Arnold and Bonnie Jean.

Don attended all of his schooling in Mendota and graduated from Mendota High School. He then attended Purdue University and graduated in 1958 with a degree in pharmacy. He married his high school sweetheart, Rose Marie Herman, on Aug. 10, 1957 and they had four children. After graduating from Purdue, the young couple moved to Ottawa, where Don began his pharmacy career. In August of 1969, Don and Rose moved their young family to Hoopeston, where they started Don B Pharmacy, successfully serving the community there until 1989 when they sold the agency. The couple divorced in 1989, and Don subsequently married Jan Tovey and moved to North Carolina. Jan passed away several years ago. Don married again in June of 2013 to his current wife, Mary Alice Eason Maier Buck, and they settled down in Red Oak, N.C. During his long life, he enjoyed his family, traveling, scuba-diving, skiing, model trains and the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Memorials in Don’s memory may be made to Golden East Railroad Modelers (GERM), 1100 N. Wesleyan Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC 27804.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.wheelerwoodlief.com.