Charles Buckler of Columbia, Maryland, was born in Washington, Indiana on January 4, 1933 and died on May 20, 2020 after a long illness. He was the son of Emmanuel E. Buckler and Marjorie Fullerton Buckler and was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Elizabeth Helgren. He lived in a number of cities in the Midwest including Omaha, St. Louis, Kansas City and Detroit, before attending Miami University of Ohio. After his graduation with a degree in biology, he continued at Miami in graduate school until he was drafted into the U.S. Army at the onset of the Korean War. While he was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center he worked on the development of the vaccine gun that was used to vaccinate recruits to replace the use of needle and syringe.
After his military service ended in 1958, Chuck began a long career as a biologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, NIH). His career in science spanned over 50 years, initially in the laboratory of Dr. Karl Habel working with poliovirus and then with Dr. Samuel Baron and Dr. Hilton Levy in studies on interferon. For over 30 years before he retired he worked in the retrovirus research laboratory of Dr. Malcolm Martin (Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, NIAID/NIH). He was an author on over 70 publications in scientific journals while in NIAID.
During this time at the NIH he became very active in the use of the computer in molecular biology, first on the mainframe computer and then during the transition to personal computers when they were first introduced. He learned several computer languages and helped in the adaption of mainframe programs to the personal computing platform, was a member of MBUG, the Molecular Biology Users Group, and became the proud owner of an IBM personal computer as soon as it made its debut so that he could continue his work at home. This resulted in an article (A Research Tool in the War Against AIDS) featuring him and his work in the magazine Personal Computing in 1989.
Chuck was a member of the Columbia Figure Skating Club and skated in its yearly Nutcracker on Ice and Spring Show performances for 15 years with his family. With his background in biology, he became an avid outdoorsman, traveling to many of the U.S. national parks, especially in long road trips throughout the West. He also enjoyed nature travel abroad to places such as the Galapagos, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Tanzania.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Alicia Buckler-White, and five children and their spouses: Catherine Buckler Geiger and Robert Geiger, David Buckler and Marjorie Hsu, Linda Buckler Allen and Richard Allen, Amanda (Jean) Buckler and Amelia Buckler-White, and four grandchildren.
A small online service for immediate family will be held on June 6 followed by an online memorial service for family and friends on June 21 at 3:00pm EDT. For information on how to attend, please email [email protected].
Donations in his honor may be made to the National Park Conservation Association: https://www.npca.org or Showing Up for Racial Justice: https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org. Chuck had a very deep love for the National Parks and from early on supported the civil rights movement in the United States, including participation in the 1963 March on Washington and other protests
Charles Emmanuel Buckler January 4, 1933 – May 20, 2020 Memorial Service June 21, 2020 "The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly” -John Muir
Prelude & Slide Show (2:30-3:00pm)
Welcome & Introduction to the Service - Rev. Lyn Cox
Opening Reading - Mary Oliver, In Blackwater Woods - Bob Geiger, son-in-law
Eulogy - David Buckler, son
Music - Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor i.) Prelude – Alexander Buckler, grandson
Reflections John Muir – Jean Buckler - daughter from Fahrenheit 451 / Amelia Buckler, daughter from The Little Prince / Catherine Buckler, daughter
Music / Sunrise, Norah Jones
Recollection / Alicia Buckler-White, wife
Recollection / Dr. Malcolm Martin, National Institutes of Health
Meditation / Rev. Lyn Cox
Open Sharing
Music / Live So Love Can Use Me / African-American Spiritual / UUCSS choir
Instructions
Closing Reading / Parable on Immortality / Henry van Dyke / Marjorie Hsu, daughter-in-law
Closing Words - Rev. Lyn Cox
Postlude / Keep on Moving Forward / Emma’s Revolution / UUCSS choir
The Buckler family would like to thank our extended family and friends for your comforting messages and for helping to make this virtual service a meaningful celebration of Chuck’s life. To View Chuck’s obituary and leave a message* for the family, visit: https://tinyurl.com/CBucklerObituary (*click on “Add Memory” on the web page)
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