Jim "Leonard" Buckhorn

Graveside services for Jim “Leonard” Buckhorn will be held on Monday, October 5th, 2020at 1:00 PM with Reverend Dale Wilson and Reverend DJ McCarter officiating. He will have a visitation on Sunday, October 4th, 2020 at Reed-Culver Chapel beginning at 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM. He will be laid to rest at Cedar Tree Cemetery. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Jim include Jon Buckhorn, Ooddie Cummings, Chad Cummings, Ryan “Jogg” fields, Kenneth Littledeer, and Michael Christie. His honorary pallbearers include Wilson Pettit, Todd Tucker, Elijah Tucker, James Buckhorn, John Brown, Jason Gann, Elmer Panther, Skip Sims, and Johnny Wiley.

Jim “Leonard” Buckhorn was born on September 13th, 1943 in Tahlequah, OK, at the old Hastings Hospital, the son of Sunday and Bessie (McLemore) Buckhorn. He was raised with five sisters and two brothers, Joshua, Aurther, Shirley, Carlene, Hanna, Nadine and Georgia. At the early age of twelve, Jim made his first bow, a hobby that he would pursue all of his lifetime. Once he began high school, he took up weight lifting, body building, and would sneak off to the nearest fishing hole whenever he had the chance. He was always fond of music and even tried his hand at writing church songs. His love of music would later lead him to build and repair guitars. Willie Nelson once came to his house to pick up a guitar he bought from Jim. He was a gifted artist, and made rings, knives, worked at silver smithing. Jim was fiercely proud of his Cherokee Heritage. He was a member of the Cherokee Cornstalk Shooters Society, setting up the bows and arrows at the Cherokee National Holiday as well as traveling with the kids as they traveled competing in Cornstalk Tournaments. On January 28th, 1966, he married his best friend, Emma Fields at Long Prairie Baptist Church. This beautiful friendship lasted through raising their pride and joy daughter, Regina and until Emma’s passing in 1990. Jim was raised speaking the Cherokee language. He was also raised to be a friend to all who asked, and help those you can when you can. He knew no strangers. He was also a member of the Green Country Bow Shooters Assoc. and the Tulsa Bow Hunters Assoc. He was happiest when teaching others to do the things that made them happy. He was a devout Christian and attended Beaver Baptist and Johnson Prairie Baptist Churches. Whatever the Lord asked of him, he was ready. He loved singing and doing mission work for the Lord. He was never too busy to stop and go pray with whoever called. He loved the Lord. The Cherokee Nation bestowed upon him the title “Cherokee National Treasurer” in 2002.It made him so proud of what he accomplished for his people. The Lord called this wise and wonderful servant home from all his earthly labors on Monday, September 28th, 2020 in Tahlequah, OK. He was 77 years of age. He will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, his mother and father, his beloved wife Emma, two brothers, Joshua Luke and Aurther Lee Buckhorn, three sisters, Nadine, Georgia, and Hanna Loretta Buckhorn. He also leaves one of his many best friends, Eugene Nottingham.

Those left to celebrate the gift of Jim’s life include his daughter, Regina Foreman and husband Chris of Twin Oaks, OK. He leaves his sisters, Shirley Jean Sims and husband Everette of Westville, OK, Carlene Wiley and husband Johnny Ray of Watts, OK,. One sister-in-law JoAnn Tucker of Rocky Ford and one brother-in-law, William Fields and Adlynn of Kansas, OK. There is a very special friend that shared eating out, going to flea markets, and running, Ms. Brenda Adair, and his long-time friends, Jerry Stratton, his high school buddies, Ed Fields and Dean Gibson, and of course his feline companion, Daisy, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.