Charles "Chuck" Elliott Buchanan Jr.

Charles "Chuck" Elliott Buchanan Jr., 75, passed away surrounded by loved ones at his home in Tallahassee on May 19th, 2021. Born August 18th, 1945, Elmira, New York he was the eldest son of Charles Elliott Sr. and Elanor (Stevens) Buchanan. In 1959 Chuck's family moved to Waldo, Florida where he attended high school and community college. In 1962 he joined the Navy serving aboard the U.S.S. Nantahala. Upon completion of his military service Chuck returned to Waldo in late 1964 where he found work as a machinist. After a few years of factory work, he began a 54 year career in automotive repair. Chuck was introduced to Volvo cars while working at a local service station in 1970, and continued specializing in Volvo repair for the next 50 years.

On the hunt for green peanuts in late March 1971, Chuck found himself at a small local roadside vegetable stand. The young woman working at the family-owned stand that day was Patricia "Patti" Darlene Parrish. He explained to her how he disliked the large dry boiled peanuts so frequently sold in the area, so he was trying to find the smaller green peanuts to boil himself. Lucky for him, her family did sell green peanuts every year from early spring to mid summer. The two hit it off immediately, and Chuck would frequent the roadside stand nearly every day that week to "buy green peanuts". They enjoyed countless hours of conversation, and began dating after only two weeks. In late May the couple decided to take Patricia's daughter Annette, Chuck's son Charlie, and Patricia's nieces and nephew to the drive-in movies. Impatient and full of excitement, he purposed to Patricia that night at the drive-in with all five children in the car. In August 1971 the couple were married and moved to Gainesville, Florida with their son and daughter.

Chuck began working at the Gainesville Volvo dealership "Harfred" in 1972. He and Patti welcomed the arrival of their youngest child Carol in 1974. The family moved to Greenville, South Carolina in 1979 when Chuck was transferred to the Volvo dealership there. One year later, after receiving an offer for employment from the Volvo dealership in Tallahassee "Courtesy Cars", he moved his family back to Florida. While employed at the local dealership, he attended the Volvo School for Continued Training & Development yearly and held the title of "Master Volvo Technician" until he left in 1994. He became self-employed at that time, contracting his services to a local independent Volvo repair shop. In April of 1997 he opened his own Volvo repair facility located on NE Capital Circle, called Vol-Car Service & Sales which is still operating in the same location today.

Loving the outdoors he enjoyed trout fishing in North Carolina with his son Charlie, and hunting near Alachua County with his brother Gary.

Chuck is survived by his loving wife Patti Buchanan, son Charlie Buchanan and his partner Bonnie, daughters Annette Hobkirk and her husband David, Carol Page and her husband Michael, grandson Joseph Woodson and his wife Stephanie, granddaughters Jessica Hobkirk, Brittany Woodson and her fiance Andrew, great-grandchildren Grace and Gavin Woodson, brother Gary Buchanan and his wife Carolynn, sister Dolores Wilson, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will take place at 2:00 pm on June 16, 2021 at The Retreat at Bradley's Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309.