Jan. 03--BAXTER SPRINGS, KS-- Paul Calvin Buckner, 93, who died on Sunday after serving as a volunteer firefighter on the Baxter Springs Fire Department for 65 years, was described as irreplaceable by those who knew him.
When his body was returned early Sunday morning from Landmark Hospital in Joplin to Baxter Springs, it was accompanied by a police escort by members of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department, Cherokee County dispatchers and the Galena and Baxter Springs police departments.
Before completing his last semester of high school, Buckner joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He fought in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1945.
Cory Moates, assistant fire chief at Baxter Springs, helped arrange the escort. He said Buckner was an irreplaceable man who selflessly committed his life to his community and country.
"When you look back on everything that he's done -- World War II and his fire service -- he dedicated a large portion of his life to serving other people, which says a lot," Moates said. "There are a lot of heroes in this world, and Paul was definitely one of those people who earned that title."
Buckner's second home was with the Baxter Springs Fire Department, which he joined in 1947. He worked his way up to assistant chief. Baxter Springs firefighters threw him a party on his 60-year anniversary, when he also was recognized as Kansas State Firefighter of the Year.
Moates met Buckner when he joined the fire department in 1999. He said Buckner was a man of few words. But those who knew Buckner, he said, couldn't say enough good things about him.
"I served 13 years with Paul," Moates said. "You get started talking about Paul Buckner and the hardest thing you're going to find is where to stop. Paul was probably one of the kindest guys you'll ever meet. If you knew him, you loved him."
Moates is unsure whether anyone has served on the department as long as Buckner but said it's a major accomplishment nonetheless. Buckner was known as the handy man who worked behind the scenes.
"Paul was pretty heavily involved in the fire service up until the day that he retired," Moates said. "He was the kind of guy that if there was a fire at 3 a.m. and it was cold outside and there was an electrical fire in the attic, he was really handy and could do anything. He would always stay on scene and would try to figure out a way to wire around whatever was burnt, so those people would have power. He wouldn't leave until he got it done."
Aside from volunteering as a firefighter, Buckner worked as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 29 years, retiring in 1972.
Memories
Friends and neighbors recounted memorable moments with Buckner, who was not only loved by his own fire department but also other area departments.
Galena fire Chief Bill Hall said that Buckner nicknamed him "The Kid" because he didn't have as many years on the department as Buckner did.
"Several years ago when he retired, I took my son Steve Hall, who's the assistant fire chief, and we made him an honorary member of our department, and he got the biggest kick out of that," Hall said. "Mrs. Buckner said that it made his day."
Robin Wene, a longtime neighbor and former fire chief at Baxter Springs, described Buckner as a great man who was very dependable for his fire department, family and military. He served on the department with Buckner for 35 years and had known him for 45 years.
"He was great and very knowledgeable," Wene said. "He knew a lot about firefighting, the old way and the new way. He was always there to help do anything. He was the one who laid the concrete on the bay for the new fire engine in the 1950s. He was the one who did all of the plumbing and electrical work at the station. Aside from fighting fires, he did all of that, voluntarily, without any doubt at all."
Since Buckner joined the military and missed his own graduation, he was later honored and received his high school diploma in 2003. Upon returning home from the war, he married his high school sweetheart, Evelyn. They were together for 72 years.
"Behind every good man is usually a better woman," Moates said. "They were definitely a good match. They were a very big influence and inspiration to a lot of people -- their relationship with each other and their relationships in the community. Something that people strive to be, they look at them as an example."
The details are still in the works, but Moates said the department is working to erect a statue in honor of Buckner and his dedication to the department.
Arrangements
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Derfelt's Baxter Chapel, 328 E. 12th St., in Baxter Springs. Burial with military honors will take place in the Baxter Springs Cemetery. Memorial donations in Buckner's memory may be made to Fellowship Baptist Church in care of the funeral home. Family visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at Derfelt's Baxter Chapel. Online condolences may be expressed at www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com.
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