William Buck

William C. (Bill) Buck, age 87, Fargo, passed away Friday, September 17, 2004, at Rosewood on Broadway, Fargo. William Corcoran Buck was born in Embden, ND, on December 13, 1916, to Nora (Corcoran) and Charles J. Buck. In 1930, at age 13, he and his family moved from Embden to Fargo, where he graduated from Fargo High School in 1934 and North Dakota Agricultural College (NDSU) in 1938. In June 1946, he married Aileen Burke in Langdon, ND, with whom he celebrated 58 years of marriage. They had seven children. For 47 years, from 1956 until recently, he and Aileen lived at 1330 3rd Street North in Fargo. In 1945 he began working in the music industry, as a record salesman/manager. Mr. Buck worked in the music industry for over 24 years. During that time he developed an intimate familiarity with classical music and opera, and was acknowledged for the breadth of his knowledge of composers, conductors, and orchestras. In 1967, Mr. Buck began working as an assistant librarian for the Fargo Public Library, where he worked for 19 years, retiring in 1986 at age 70. Throughout his life, he enjoyed a love for flowers and plants. His yard on north third street was known for outstanding floral displays from early spring through late fall of each year. He was a member of the Fargo-Moorhead Horticultural Club, and frequently hosted tours of his garden to both club members and the public. He was an active member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church from its founding in the early 1950s through the present. He was an member of Oblates of St. Benedict since 1948. After his retirement, he stayed active. He was a volunteer for Hospice of the Red River Valley for several years, donating 5,000 hours of his time. In addition to classical music and horticulture, his hobbies included rya rug making and woodcarving. In 1995, when he was just months shy of his 80th birthday, he was asked to model clothing for Straus clothiers. Through his many pursuits, he developed numerous lifelong friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nora and Charles Buck; and his brother, Vincent of Jamestown, ND. Survivors include his wife, Aileen; seven children and seven grandchildren: Michael (Susan Swensen) of Tok, Alaska, Brenda (Gary) Haas, St. John, ND, Gerald, of Mandan, ND, and Donald of St. John, ND, James (Deborah Nuccio) and Alexander of Golden, CO, Ann Buck, and John and Colleen of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Brian of Paulsbo, WA, Fran (David) Neisius, and Matthew and Christopher of Issaquah, WA, and Marie (Jim Bravado) of Minneapolis, MN. Funeral: 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Fargo. Prayer Service: 7:00 p.m. Monday in Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo. Visitation: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday in the funeral home, and one hour before the funeral in the church. Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery, Fargo. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Hospice of the Red River Valley. Arrangements by Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo. Online guestbook at www.boulgerfuneralhome.com