Jean Buchanan

A Tampa native, she was born in the Palm River neighborhood of South Tampa. The Sands Family became a fixture of the East Tampa landscape, homesteading a large portion of what would eventually become Orient Park where she lived until her passing. She attended Kenly Elementary School, Franklin Middle School, and became an honorary graduate of Brandon High School in 2018. She worked tirelessly for her family as an industrial seamstress for over five decades. She was a member of State Highway Baptist Church where she assisted with piano playing duties. Musically gifted, she learned to play shape notes and by ear and was an avid Southern Gospel enthusiast. She leaves an unmatched legacy of caregiving, homemaking, fostering a love of education, and unconditional love for her husband, children, and grandchildren that count among them an ivy league graduate, multi-talented artists, prosperous entrepreneurs, and community champions.

She is survived by her sister Faye Fritzke and husband Albert; her son Jack Buchanan wife Sherry; daughter Cheryl Zamora and husband Michael; and son David Buchanan and wife Karen. She was also the doting Nana-Nana-Nena to her beloved grandchildren Lisa Buchanan and Katie Thompson; Jarod (Julia) Buchanan, Ami Fazchas, Joe (Lisa) Fazchas and Ian Barkley - As well as numerous members of her extended family who assisted in her care in her final days, including niece Rhonda Leveret, Beverly Thissen, Stephen Fazchas, and Sheila and John Dawson.

Visitation and services will be held Wednesday, February 26th at 11am, at Garden of Memories Funeral Home and Cemetery.

Nana.

You spun gold out of this hard life

Conjured beauty from the things left behind.

Found healing where it did not live.

Discovered the antidote in your own kit.

Broke the curse with your own two hands...

Your true love brought salvation back into us.

With every tear comes redemption.

So we're gonna heal. We're gonna start again.

-Paraphrase of Warsan Shire's 'Redemption'

May her memory be a blessing.