A graveside service for Kathrene will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Walters Chapel Cemetery in Bay Springs, Mississippi.
Kathrene was born on July 11, 1932 to the late James "Reggie" Reginald Buckley, Sr and Helen Rogers Buckley in Jasper County, Mississippi. She proudly served our country in the United States Army, joining shortly after high school and was able to play basketball for the Army while in service to our country. Before honorably discharged as a United States Veteran, she rose through the ranks to a drill sergeant in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAC).
After her Army discharge, Kathrene lived in Calais (Mill Town), Maine. Her independent spirit, love of family, and determination to prove herself quickly won over her new found family and friends. Although, Kathrene never truly enjoyed the Maine winters, she had a stubbornness that refused to allow anything to get the better of her.
Kathrene loved to travel. It would not be uncommon for her to take extended visits across America to visit family and friends. Once she arrived, her take charge demeanor would set the tone for activities, excursions, and local dining. Kathrene had a passion to fully experience all that was around her. For example, Kathrene would plan vacations around the Machias Blueberry Festival in Maine to include plenty of time for thrift store shopping in Topsham, visits to the LL Bean main store in Freeport, and finding the perfect lobster rolls all in between.
It was Kathrene’s lively and independent nature that helped her overcome a late-in-life amputation that most people would have found devastating. Despite the loss of her leg, Kathrene had still hoped she would be able to walk and drive on her own soon. Kathrene enjoyed her wind chimes playing outdoors around her home, gardening, and an occasional baseball game with family. Kathrene had a lively spirit with a voracious love for life and she will be so dearly missed.
In addition to her parents, preceding her in death are her son, Roger Clark; and sister, Lucille Murphy and first husband Burl and second husband Lavelle; brother, Jim Buckley; sister, Doris Bishop and husband Williard; and brother-in-law, James Hughes.
Kathrene is survived by her brother, Joe Buckley and wife Reda; sister, Josephine Windham and husband Hudson; sister Linda Hughes; brother, Sam Buckley and wife Jane; sister, Jane Sims and husband Larry; granddaughter, Nikole Cooper and husband, Jason; great-grandson, Michael Cooper; great-granddaughter, Hannah Cooper; great-great-granddaughter, Blakely Elizabeth Cooper; and a host of beloved, nieces, nephews, and other dear extended family members and friends.
In memory of Kathrene, please consider making a donation in her honor to Tunnel to Towers at https://t2t.org/donate/ or to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=10043&ovr_acv_id=5246
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.baldwinleepearl.com for the Clark family.
