Charles Buchanan "Bucky" Tennison, Jr.

His early education began at San Antonio Academy, after which he attended The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There, Bucky was a Yell Leader and developed relationships that would last the rest of his life, including one of his dearest friends, KJ Copeland. Bucky spent almost 4 years at The McCallie School, only leaving when his and the school’s ideas of decorum conflicted. From McCallie, Bucky went on to Alamo Heights High School, where he befriended the entire school, graduated, and stayed close to many Mules for the rest of his life. St. Edward’s in Austin was Bucky’s next academic endeavor followed by the University of Texas. He took great pride in graduating from the School of Architecture at University of Texas in San Antonio.

After launching his career as an architect, Bucky married Diane Fair and fathered his most cherished possessions, his daughter and son, Olivia, and Noah Tennison. In his professional journey, Bucky accumulated valuable experience in creativity, scale and proportion, balance, and usability.

Bucky and his host of friends especially loved the arts and music. Music was an essential ingredient to adventure: traveling to see live music, even selling gold coins to fund Grateful Dead concerts. He worked directly with musicians to support their art, driving a 15-passenger van filled with musicians, and pulling trailers full of instruments and gear across the United States when on tour. He roamed Mexican border towns, kicked around Austin, and traveled the world to visit friends and loved ones.

Bucky’s brother Casey was always one of his biggest fans. Despite typical sibling rivalry, Bucky and Casey never lost sight of their love for one another.

Surviving family members include daughter, Olivia Fair Tennison; son, Noah Mackenzie Tennison; brother, Casey Gardner Tennison; stepfather, McLean Bowman; stepmother, Eileen Wibracht Tennison; Aunt, Tara Eastland and Uncle, Stacy Eastland; cousins, Tara Leclerc and Gardner Eastland; Aunt, Sean Turner with cousins T. C. and Thee Turner; cousins, Court and Collin Lemaistre; Aunt, Dana and Uncle, Pete Wilson; cousin, Katie Wilson; cousins, Mollie Snowden and Mason Pipes. He is reunited with his loving mother, Erin Bowman, baby sister Marrs McLean Bowman and his father, Charles Buchanan “Big Buck” Tennison, Sr.

A memorial for Bucky will take place in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bucky’s name to the Texas Biomedical Institute or the SIMS’s Foundation.

If you would like to share pictures or stories about Bucky with his children, please email them to [email protected]