Funeral Service for James L. Buckley Jr. are Monday, May 4, 2015 at 11 a.m. at St Claire of Assisi Church, 15642 Clayton Rd, Ellisville Missouri with burial in Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, St Louis, Missouri. Schrader Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is at Schrader Funeral Home, 14960 Manchester Road, Ballwin, Missouri on Sunday, May 3, 2015 from 3 until 7 p.m.

Mr. Buckley of St. Louis, formerly of Brookhaven, died on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona on Jan. 19, 1924.

He had a very active and event-filled life. Baptized in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jim moved to Salem, Massachusetts, where he was captain of the high school track team and upon graduation was accepted to the prestigious Lowell Institute at MIT.

Jim interrupted his education and entered the Navy during WWII, where he was selected into the naval aviation program.  He was very proud of his service as a Navy pilot, with several postings in the U.S. and the Pacific.  Upon his discharge, he attended the University of Oklahoma on the GI Bill, graduating with honors in 1948, as well as being selected Big Man on Campus. Jim married Thelma, the love of his live, a romance that lasted 59 years.

After graduation and marriage, Jim’s career began as an accountant with Standard Oil of New Jersey (now ExxonMobil) and was assigned to their Venezuelan subsidiary, Creole. They moved to Venezuela, where his career progressed through numerous assignments, beginning in an oil camp and, prior to his departure, had progressed to the position of supervisor of the taxation organization at headquarters.

Upon returning to the U.S., Jim joined the Stahl Urban Company in Brookhaven as treasurer and comptroller. While there, he became heavily involved in a wide range of civic activities, taking on responsibilities which resulted in his being elected to numerous positions including President of the Kiwanis Club, the Chamber of Commerce and Brookhaven Country Club.

Jim was instrumental in Stahl Urban’s merger with Kellwood, after which he was selected to lead a new company within the corporation, establishing plants in Del Rio, Texas and Acuña, Coahuila State, Mexico. Upon completion of this successful endeavor, Jim was promoted to group vice president, and he and Thelma moved to St Louis, where they retired.

After retirement, Jim stayed active as a consultant and continued to be heavily involved in several charities, foremost of which was establishing the Ronald McDonald House Golf tournament for several years. An ardent supporter of the University of Oklahoma, Jim assisted in establishing and was a charter member of the St. Louis Chapter of the Alumni Association. He volunteered on both Sen. Jim Talent’s and Rep. Todd Akins’s staffs and was twice selected as the chairman for the Lafayette Township Republican committee.

Preceding him in death was his beloved wife Thelma.

Survivors are his sister, Marian; children, James  “Chief”, Joanie, Tony (Debbie) and Patrick (Lety); grandchildren Melanie (Yancey), Jamie, Delanie, AJ and Amanda (Matt); and great-grandchildren Colton and Lily.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their kind and generous support as well as all Jim’s lifetime friends and poker and golf buddies.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Ronald McDonald House of St. Louis.