Grant Parish, Louisana
Obituaries

Bro. J. W. Buckner

J.W. Buckner was born December 16, 1907 in Aloha, LA to the late Martin Luther Buckner and Martha Elizabeth Murrell Buckner. He departed this life on Sunday, January 2, while at his home, 705 Oak Street, Crossett, AR. He was 92. Bro. Buckner, as most people knew him, married Dorothy Idella Luker in 1929. They had five children: Martha Elizabeth, Martin Luther, James Luker, John Wordy, Jr. and Dorothy Ann. Dorothy died in 1952. Bro. Buckner later married Juanita Rainwater of Crossett, adopting her daughter Eunice Helen. Bro. Buckner received his high school diploma from Poland High School in Rapides Parish, LA. He graduated with a B.A. degree from Louisiana College in Pineville in 1932 where he was a member of the college championship debate team. He did graduate work in theology at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary the following two years. He received a Master Degree in History from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe. He later served on the History faculty at Northeast Louisiana University and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Bro. Buckner was an active minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ for 65 years, serving as pastor of churches in Louisiana and Arkansas. Buckner was also known as a stewardship evangelist for many years. As a Southern Baptist minister, Bro. Buckner was recognized as a church builder. He was pastor during fund-raising and construction of numerous new church buildings. As a gesture to him as a church builder, Bro. Buckner was awarded an honorary "Doctor of Church Architecture" on April 23, 1951, by the First Baptist Church of Crossett. Bro. Buckner served on many boards and commissions of the Louisiana and Arkansas Baptist Conventions. He was a co-founder (1951) and first moderator of the Ashley County Baptist Association in Arkansas. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was always active in community affairs. He was President of the Crossett High School Parent-Teachers Association in 1955, an active member of the Crossett Chamber of Commerce for many years as well as being a member of the Lions and Kiwanis Clubs of Crossett. He was selected as Kiwanis Club Man of the Year in 1977 and 1979, elected President of the Crossett Lions Club in 1985-86 and elected a delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention in 1979, serving on the Suffrage and Elections Committee. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge, Grand Chaplain of Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Arkansas, 1967-68. On the occasion of eclipsing 60 years in the ministry, Governor Bill Clinton designated August 4, 1985, as J.W. Buckner Day in Arkansas. Another J.W. Buckner Day was designated by Ashley County Judge Don Hartley and Mayor Les Black on the occasion of his 85th birthday. In 1993, he was inducted into his alma mater Poland High School (LA) Hall of Fame for Lifetime of Achievements. Gov. Jim Guy Tucker presented Bro. Buckner with an Arkansas Certificate of Recognition for Public Service on December 14, 1995. He received the Centennial Award of Appreciation from Fist Baptist Church and the City of Jonesboro, LA in 1996. He was awarded the Rotary International Foundation Paul Harris Fellowship. Bro. Buckner was elected the first president of the Ashley County Chapter of AARP in 1987-88. He led in establishing an endowment fund for the Friends of the Paul Sulllins Library in Crossett. Bro. Buckner was a noted historian of Crossett and Ashley County. He authored Wilderness Lady in 1979 which is a history of Crossett and Ashley County. He later wrote Cap Gates Tent City in 1983, a history of his beloved home of Crossett. Bro. Buckner was a quiet, friendly man who smiled and spoke kindly to everyone he saw. The memory of Bro. Buckner will live in the hearts and minds of everyone who ever knew him. Bro. Buckner is survived by his wife of 46 years, Juanita; 3 daughters, Martha Arrington of Monroe, LA, Dottie Clark of Guatemala and Helen Wright of Crossett; 3 sons, Luther Buckner of Murphreesboro, TN, Jim Buckner of Fayetteville and Wordy Buckner of Springfield, MO, as well as 26 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at the First Baptist Church of Crossett at 10:00 a.m., on Wednesday, January 5 with Dr. David Newberry officiating. Interment will take place at Pinewood Memorial Park Cemetary immediately following. Arrangements under the direction of Jones Funeral Home of Crossett.