On Tuesday April 8, 2025 Francis W. Buckley Jr. passed away at the age of 67 peacefully surrounded by family. Francis was born to Francis W. Sr. and Dorothy (Wilson) Buckley on March 7, 1958 in Leavenworth, KS. He moved with his family to Salina in 1959. Francis married Brenda Lamer on April 4, 1980 and they had two daughters. Francis had a full and happy life.
He enjoyed going to Colorado and 4-wheel driving. He loved woodworking, model trains, and tinkering on his computers. He was good at everything he did in his lifetime – he was the man that knew everything about everything. Christmas was his favorite holiday and he looked forward to spending time with his family. He loved spoiling his grandsons and sneaking gifts under the tree for his wife. Sometimes he liked starting projects and not finishing them, just to keep his wife on her toes. He always answered the phone with a “what” when his daughters would call, knowing they needed him…again (secretly loving how much he was needed). He was a man of very few words but would do anything for anyone. He loved nothing more than his family and grandsons.
Francis was the proud local business owner of Downtown Auto Service for over 40 years. He loved his customers and enjoyed visiting with them – consider yourself lucky if you were one that got him to crack a smile.
Francis is preceded in death by his father Francis Sr., mother Dorothy, fathers-in-law Everett Rogers and Howard Lamer and sister-in-law Lori Lamer. He is survived by the love of his life Brenda, daughters Melanie (Chad) Perez, Jennifer Buckley (fiancé Alex Weller), grandsons Mitchell and Reid Perez, sisters Cindy (John) Markel, Theresa (Thad) Beach, brothers-and sisters-in-law Toni (Scott) Taggart, Brad (Cindy) Lamer, Brian Lamer, Renee Nelson, mothers-in-law Judy Lamer and Kari (Tom) Miller, along with many nieces and nephews. He is so loved and will be deeply missed by all.
“So I close my eyes softly, til I become that part of the wind that we all long for sometime. And to those that I love, like a ghost through a fog, like a charmed hour and a haunted song, the angel of my dreams”
Funeral services will be held at St. Mary Queen of the Universe Catholic Church on Saturday April 12, 2025 at 11:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Grade School, St. Mary Queen of the Universe Catholic Church, American Heart Association or American Lung Association.