Jackie "Jack" Carr Buckingham

Herrin

Jackie "Jack" Carr Buckingham, 70, of Herrin, passed away on Saturday, July 7, 2018, at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, July 14, 2018, at Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville, with Pastor Ray Meeks officiating. Burial will be in Cundiff Cemetery in rural Carterville. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Jack was the youngest of 9 children born to Arthur Edward and Hilda Edna (Palmer) Buckingham. He arrived at 11:53 a.m., on December 27, 1947, and spent his childhood in Royalton.

After high school, Jack attended Mt. Vernon Community College before completing his Bachelor in Sociology degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. After college he met, fell in love and married Melody Tolbert. They were united in marriage on July 27, 1974, and joyfully welcomed their only child, a son, Jack Jr., in November of 1975.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 44 years, Melody Buckingham of Herrin; son, Jackie "J.C." (Rhonda) Buckingham of Herrin; grandchildren, Kenny (fiancée, Allison O'Dell) Buckingham, Geoffrey Buckingham, and Matthew Buckingham, all of West Frankfort, Jaycee Buckingham, Paige Buckingham and Leah Buckingham, all of Herrin; great-grandchild, Rose Buckingham of West Frankfort; sisters, Wanda Bagwell of Zeigler and Janet (Paul) Hethmon of Collierville, Tennessee; sister-in-law, Francis Buckingham of Benton; mother-in-law, Ruth Tolbert of Herrin; sisters-in-law, Harmony Tolbert of Energy and Paula (Mark) Barton of West Frankfort; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Viola Lawrence, Rose Herzog, Billie Ruth Woods, and Mary Annabelle Buckingham; and brothers, Arthur Buckingham Jr. and James Buckingham.

Jack worked a variety of jobs which included working for the community gas stations in Royalton; retail sales in groceries and shoes; Herrin Hospital; and lastly settling in a John A. Logan College from which he retired in 2010. So, one might say he indeed was a "Jack of all trades."

While Jack was able and in good health, you'd usually find him outside, often losing track of time, working in the garden, wood working, doing lawn work, fixing things, puttering around, or looking for something he'd lost while doing one of the previous things. In the last few years when these things were no longer options for him he began to color. Coloring for him at times became a compulsion-producing books full of pictures that have become treasures.

Jack had 3 very important companions by his side who enriched his life every day, Scooter, Cosmo and Lovie Lu.

Jack was a good man, a proud man, a man who loved his family with his whole heart, a man who supported his family. He was a man who had his heart right with God. Jack is breathing easy now, puttering around and probably looking for something to plant. He will be deeply missed.

Not all of you are going to understand this but this goes out to the grandkids, kids, wife, and sisters-in-law, ......"look here....'Hi'...."

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