Jerome Buckner

Life's Reflections For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Psalm 91:11

Jerome "J,R." Buckner, 76, answered God" call home on Friday, January 10,2014 at Jefferson Regional Memorial Center in Pine Bluff, AR. He was bom in Winterville, MS on December 18, 1937 to the late Reason S. Buckner, Jr. and Geneva Buckner, J.R. grew up in Winterville, MS on the Buckner Family Farm and accepted Christ at an early age at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church where he was under the leadership of his granddad (Papa) Reverend Reason S. Buckner, SR.

While growing up, he spent most of his time plowing, planting and taking care of the crops. He worked hard doing this because when it came to picking cotton he just couldn't keep up with his brothers and sisters. After graduating from O'Banner High School, he enrolled in Alcorn AM&N College in Lorman, MS where he majored in Agriculture Education. A year later he transferred to AM & N College (UAPB) in Pine Bluff, AR where he completed his degree in Agriculture Education. On graduation day his mother handed him a letter from the United States Army that read, "Greetings, you have been drafted into the United States Army". The next two years he spent in Landstrud, Germany as a laboratory blood bank specialist. After returning to the United States, J.R. was employed by the Lakeside School District in Lake Village, AR as an Agriculture Instructor. During the 30 years plus at Lakeside teaching vocational agriculture, J.R. challenged and encouraged his students to always do their best at whatever job or project they were assigned or undertook. Through the years at Lakeside, he always made sure that in the spring of the year he would schedule a field trip to the university and encourage his students to attend his Alma Mater. J.R. and his students always participated in the New Farmers of America/Future Farmers of America contest at the college. Many of his students developed a lasting love for agriculture and chose agriculture as a profession. That please him very much.

After he retired in 1994, he didn't have a classroom filled with students but he still took advantage of every opportunity to show or tell any young person (or older person) how to fix something or how it should be done. One of the greatest joys of his life was when a former student stopped by and visited with him and told him how he was using what he had learned in his high school agriculture class and how much he appreciated him. He cared for his students and his family. J.R. worked hard to make sure his family had what they needed and most of the things they wanted.

J.R. was preceded in death by his parents, Reason and Geneva Buckner; three brothers: Reverend Thomas R. Buckner, Sr., Johnnie Buckner, Sr., Randle 0. Buckner; three sisters: Betty Cowden, Carrie Denson and Charity "Precious" Raybom.

He leaves to cherish his memories: Jeannette S. Buckner (wife), two sons: Vance R. (Kirn) Buckner, and Rory A. (Sharetha) Buckner all of Lake Village, AR; seven grandchildren, three brothers: Cornell Buckner, of Memphis, TN, Rudolph (Georgia) Buckner, Adolph Buckner both of Greenville, MS; one sister, Verdina Buckner of Greenville, MS; one aunt, Odelia Smith of Benton Harbor, Ml; sisters-in-law, Shirley F. Buckner of Little Rock, AR and Beatrice Buckner of Memphis, TN. Other brothers and sisters-in-law include John C. (Laura) Morris of Batesville, MS, Leroy Henderson of Winstonville, MS, Tommie J. (Annette) Henderson of Bolton, MS and Linda Robinson of Clinton, MS, many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and friends.