Sarah Haby Buckner

Sarah Jane Haby Buckner born September 21, 1936 in Uvalde, TX passed away peacefully at her home on November 25, 2023, at the age of 87, in Marble Falls, TX. Our beautiful mother, wife, Nene, Aunt Sarah is survived by her husband of 67 years, Walter L. Bud Buckner, three children: Gene Buckner of Castroville, TX; Melinda & Shon Lovelace of Burnet, TX and Sarah Ann (Sally) & Trevor McBryde of Marble Falls, TX and 2 grandsons, the lights of her life, Braden Buckner McBryde and Hudson Walker McBryde of Marble Falls.

Sarah was born into a long-time ranching family who raised Angora goats in Uvalde County. At an early age, she was enamored with animals…cats, sheep, goats, horses and even Horned Toads! She was an avid horsewoman, barrel racer and lover of all sports. Sarah attended public schools in Uvalde and in her senior year, was honored by her peers as Class Secretary, Head Cheerleader, Football Sweetheart, FFA Sweetheart to name a few. She was on the 1955 Golden Girls Basketball Team of San Antonio as well as the Lobo basketball team all 4 years of high school.

After HS graduation in 1955, Sarah attended SWT Teachers College with a concentration in Art and was inducted into the Allie Evans Sorority. Sarah was honored as a member of Beta Sigma Phi and chosen as Princess. Sarah was a talented artist, painting Native American scenes, farm animals, and family.

On June 10, 1956, Sarah & Bud were married in Uvalde, TX at the First United Methodist Church and would follow Bud’s naval career from Newport, Rhode Island to Coronado, CA. Sarah was very active playing tennis and a water/snow skiing natural. She also volunteered with Navy Relief while in Newport, RI receiving high accommodations for her service.

Their first child, Gene Dixon, was born in San Diego, CA at the Balboa Naval Hospital and later relocated to Bud’s hometown, San Marcos, where their daughters, Melinda & Sarah Ann (Sally) were born and where they would raise their children. Sarah was chosen as the very first Chili queen in 1970 at the San Marcos, TX Chilympiad Chili Festival. She wore a devil costume with a sign reading “Some Like it HOT”! Her children remember fondly cheering her on to victory!

Bud ran the San Marcos Record Newspaper with his family for many years until 1976 when they moved to Uvalde, TX. Sarah and family were welcomed with open arms upon return to her beloved hometown of Uvalde and so enjoyed being reunited with family and friends. Sarah worked as a bank teller at the Uvalde National Bank, as a dental assistant and as a substitute teacher at Uvalde High School. During this timeframe, both Sarah and Bud served as Presidents of the STPA (South Texas Press Association).

In 1983, Sarah & Bud purchased The Llano News in Llano, TX and enjoyed running the newspaper until 1999 when they sold it and moved back to…you guessed it! Uvalde. They lived on the 150-year-old family ranch (Guy Haden Haby Ranch) along the Nueces River which was handed down to Sarah and her brother years prior. Sarah served as a Daughter of the King at St. Phillips Episcopal Church and Llano Episcopal Church.

They enjoyed living in Uvalde until 2022 when their children urged them to be near them in Marble Falls. This move proved to be God’s perfect timing as Sarah and Bud were able to spend precious time with their children and grandchildren.

Preceded in death by her mother & father, Sylvia Ray Shely & Eugene Jacob Haby, stepfather Johnny Cole Williams, brother, Eugene (Dunny) Haby and nephew, Cole Ivan Haby. Paternal Grandparents, Rymund & Bula Sarah Walling Haby of Uvalde, and Maternal grandparents, Warren Offord & Malinda Jane Jeffers Shely of Live Oak, Texas.

Services are scheduled for 1:00 PM Friday, December 1 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Marble Falls, TX with family burial in Burnet, TX.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to El Progreso Memorial Library https://www.elprogreso.org/donations or St. Philips Episcopal Church https://stphilipsuvalde.breezechms.com/give/online , both in Uvalde, TX.