Trudy, as she was commonly known, was born on January 16, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan. The eldest daughter of Roy and Molly Smith, she was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. Upon her high school graduation in 1944, she moved to Alameda, California to live with her best friend. She worked for the Civil Service in the accounting department preparing monthly reports. On Friday nights, she and her girlfriends would go to the Officer's Club which is where she met the love of her life and future husband, Ensign Clarence C. Buck, a Naval Aviator. After a whirlwind six month courtship, they were married in 1949 and remained married until her husband's death in 2017.
As a devoted and supportive military wife, she was always willing to go wherever the Navy took them. Duty stations included Corpus Christi, Texas, multiple places in California, Newport, Rhode Island, Washington DC. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Jacksonville, Florida where they eventually retired. She took great pride in turning every house they were stationed in into a loving and beautiful home for her family.
She was also very active in the Navy Wives' clubs, entertaining with ease with her bubbly and outgoing personality. She also devoted her time as a Girl Scout Leader and was active in the Catholic Church. Her true hobbies, however, were gardening and decorating. Her love of flowers and landscape were prevalent in all of her homes, as she found great comfort and peace working in her yard.
Trudy Buck is survived by her two daughters, Denise Morin and Doreen Campaneria, their husbands and five grandchildren. Her husband, retired Capt. Clarence Buck, preceded her in death in 2017, along with her son, Lt. Daryl Buck, USNR.
A Visitation will be held Monday, September 11, 2023 at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, Florida from 11:30am-12:00pm.
A funeral service will follow at 12:15pm.
A committal service will occur after at 2 pm, Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Rd. Jacksonville, Fl.
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