Barbara Ann Windley Buck
1936-2015

Barbara Buck left this Earth to be with her Lord on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. She was preceded in death by her dearly beloved husband and her "personal hero", Lt. Col. William L. Buck, III, USMC (Ret), her father, Herman L. Windley and her mother, Mildred L. Gurganus.

Barbara leaves behind her son, William L. (Billy) Buck, IV; her daughter, Terri Lynn Buck Uzzell and Terri's husband, Roger J. Uzzell; her sister, Peggy Ryder of MO; and her niece and nephew, Tammy Piburn and Mike Fitch, both of SC. She also will be missed by the two grandchildren who brought her so much pride and joy, Sara Elizabeth Uzzell and Joseph Chandler Uzzell.

Early Life
Barbara was born June 2, 1936, and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Bill. She was a beautiful, popular young woman, who was an excellent student, a cheerleader, and a majorette in the high school band. Those were hard times in America, and going to college was out of the question.

Marine Wife and Mother
Her new husband volunteered to be a Marine, and Barbara quickly adjusted to married life in the Corps. Bill loved the order, discipline, and esprit de corps, and quickly moved up the enlisted ranks. He became a payroll expert and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, the highest rank possible for a US Marine Corps disbursement officer. As soon as Billy and Terri were old enough to attend school, Barbara went to work as a civilian employee, moving with Bill from base to base.

Real Estate Leader
When Bill was reassigned to MCB Camp Lejeune in November of 1969, Barbara went to work for LaRue Hambrick, one of Onslow County's most admired and successful realtors. LaRue quickly recognized Barbara's potential and strongly urged her to make real estate her profession. Barbara realized that this was the opportunity for personal and professional growth she had longed for, and she studied hard and earned her real estate license. She loved selling real estate, and Jacksonville was growing, so she earned her real estate broker license as well.

Prior to Bill retiring from the Marine Corps, the couple formed Barbara Buck Realty, operating out of an office in the New River Shopping Center. Her reputation for honest, fair, and professional brokerage, particularly for military families trying to purchase their first home, continued to grow. Barbara purchased a Century 21 franchise, which became Century 21 Barbara Buck Realty, with Barbara handling sales and Bill overseeing a rapidly growing rental division.

In January of 1981, Barbara's reputation had grown to the point that she was elected to serve as President of the Jacksonville Board of Realtors, a leadership role which she not only enjoyed immensely, but excelled at. Her colleagues on the Board of Realtors persuaded her to stay active in a series of leadership roles, all of which she enjoyed.

History Making Political Leader
The politics of Onslow County were beginning to change in the 1980's, and Barbara was rapidly becoming one of the most admired and respected Republican leaders in the community. In 1988, she was persuaded to run for the office of County Commissioner, because of her reputation as a business leader and her exceptional contributions to the Board of Realtors. On November 9, 1988, she made history by not only being overwhelmingly elected as an Onslow County Commissioner, but also being elected by her colleagues as the first Republican woman to serve as Chair of the Onslow County Board of Commissioners.

Barbara was not only a very successful and effective leader of the Board of Commissioners, she reached out to Mayor George Jones of Jacksonville (a lifelong Democrat), and these two visionary political leaders worked with the Jacksonville Onslow Chamber of Commerce, to dramatically strengthen the level of cooperation and teamwork with the leadership of MCB Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River.

In 1988, Barbara received the prestigious "Woman of the Year" Award from the Jacksonville Onslow Chamber of Commerce.

A Lifetime of Public Service
Throughout her remarkable life, Barbara never wavered in her firm belief in the old biblical adage, "It is more blessed to give than to receive!" When growing up, she was a proud member of the Junior Woman's Club of Norfolk, Virginia. When Billy and Terri were children, she was a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts and then a Brownie Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts. She served on the local Boards of North Carolina National Bank, as well as Peoples Bank & Trust. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Business Women's Association. And, she will always be remembered for her tireless service to the Jacksonville Board of Realtors.

Barbara was also exceptionally proud of her years of service as a member of the Board of Trustees of Coastal Carolina Community College.

A Consummate Friend
Like her beloved late husband, Bill, Barbara's remarkable life involved too many accomplishments to be appropriately captured in an obituary. She was a woman of intense conviction, unyielding passion, unshakable faith, and tireless devotion to her family and friends. She will be missed, by all of those who were fortunate enough to experience her love and devotion. And she will not be forgotten.

Funeral Services
Barbara's Funeral Service will be held on Friday, March 27, 2015 at 11:00am at Jones Funeral Home, Jacksonville with the Rev. Charles McKinney officiating. Burial will take place on Saturday at 3:00 pm at the Rosewood Memorial Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her family will receive friends Thursday night from 6:00pm until 8:00pm at Jones Funeral Home.