Carl David (“Dave,” “Buck”) Buchanan, Jr. (Highlands, NC) passed away April 14, 2024. Born in Winter Park, FL on March 24,1940 to Carl D., Sr. and Pauline Williams Buchanan and into a Central Florida pioneer family (1840s), he attended schools in Winter Park and graduated from Winter Park High School in 1959. Growing up he was active in Boy Scouts and swimming. Buck graduated with his A.A. from Valencia Community College. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice putting those degrees to use at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Buck started working as a patrol deputy when there were only 15 deputies employed at OCSO, and retired 28 years later as Chief Deputy, the highest unelected deputy. After Disney World opened, he was OCSO’s liaison to the Secret Service and U.S. State Department. Buck protected U.S. government officials and international dignitaries in this capacity. During his career he served as a Criminal Investigations detective, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigations agent, Northwest Sector commander, and personal director among his many assigned duties.
After retiring, Buck worked as a private investigator when he was contacted by a group of UCF students to participate in a movie they were making entitled, “The Blair Witch Project.” Although Buck’s segment was not used in the original movie, a book by the same title was written based on his “investigations.” He later appeared on the Sci-Fi channel mockumentary on the story and in a Japanese version of “The Blair Witch Project.”
Buck always loved the mountains. He and his wife moved to Western NC in 2001. Buck enjoyed being out on the mountain moving dirt, maintaining community roads, helping neighbors, and vegetable gardening. He loved stocking his “On Your Honor” produce stand with the vegetables he grew and hearing reports that the vegetables in the store don’t taste like this.
Buck was preceded in death by his parents, sister Phyllis Roark, and brother John W. Buchanan. He is survived by his wife Marilyn Sue Messick; sons Andrew Armstrong (fiancée Krysti Howell), Matthew (Jenni), and Daniel; daughter Theresa Williams (Mike); sisters Joyce Kraemer and Billie Jo Swain; and 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Sunday from 5 to 8pm at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home, 90 Weathersfield Ave. Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 with a Celebration of Life to be held Monday at 1pm at the same location. Interment will follow at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Winter Park, FL.
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