All is well. Safely rest.

Howard E Buck Jr, 81 of Lakeland, Florida passed away on October 5, 2026 at Good Shepherd Hospice.

Born in Buffalo, New York on December 28, 1944 to Helen Lowe Collins and Howard Buck. Howard attended many schools through his early years but graduated from Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1962. He was on the diving team and an avid gymnast, which served for good party tricks throughout his life.

He joined the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and served in the Vietnam War. Upon his return home, he attended community college in South Florida where he met his beloved wife Jean of 58 years. They were married on May 11,1968 and moved to Gainesville, Florida where he majored in Art design at the University of Florida while Jean worked as a medical assistant. It is here he made life long friendships, became a “real” adult and adopted his love of Gator Football.

After graduation, he and Jean moved to Lakeland, Florida. This became home. He began working for the Lakeland Ledger for many years before joining Dobb’s Publishing as an Art Director in 1981. He later became Chief Operating Officer and spent many years with a successful career in publishing.

He played guitar and spent many years in a guitar trio traveling around Florida playing at Folk Festivals. He passed on his love of music to his two daughters Brittany and Kerry. They loved when he played at home and on stage and both girls shared his affinity for music. Howard was gentle and optimistic, calm and level headed and always saw the good in everyone and every circumstance. He was a reliable companion, father and friend. He loved to, “gather everyone’s attention”, and tell a good joke or deliver a riddle for finding the golden egg. He liked to use words like cattywompus, kabitzing, highfalutin and rip snorter.

Howard is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Kerry and her husband Drew Rice, his grandchildren Jonathan and Haven, his sisters Janet, Ardis, Greta and Glenda. He is also survived by a bajillion nieces and nephews who affectionately called him Uncle Buck or Uncle Tim.

He is preceded in death by his sister Carol and his daughter Brittany. May he rest in peace with them.

There is a funeral Mass at Resurrection Catholic Church (333 Terrace Way, Lakeland, FL) on Monday, October 12, 2026 at 11:00am followed by a graveside burial at Serenity Gardens (3350 Mall Hill Drive, Lakeland, FL). We then ask family and friends to join us in a casual reception at the Peggy Brown Building (215 South Lake Ave., Lakeland, FL). Let us remember a life well lived.