Mr Arthur J Buckner

“Some think the world was made for fun and frolic, and so do I. . . “

Arthur Jay Buckner, 82, passed away on May 31, 2013. The only child of the late Anne Buchner (nee Buxbaum) and Emanuel Buchner, Mr. Buckner was born on August 23, 1930 in Newark, New Jersey. Known to most as “Artie,” he loved life and was kind, generous, and fun-loving. Artie took great pride in being a product of Weequahic High School and the friendships he made there lasted throughout his lifetime. Since his graduation in 1948, he and his classmates agreed to gather periodically to share the rich experiences of their lives. This year marked the historic 65thanniversary of their graduation.

Artie played for Weequahic‘s Varsity Football Team as well as its baseball team. His love of sports was such that, later in his life he owned horses, trained boxers, and he managed the Verona Twins, a semi-professional baseball team. His managerial success with them was honored in 1997 by the Metropolitan Baseball League, when he was recognized by winning the Joseph F. Job Award as “Man of the Year.” Artie was an avid New York Giants fan and held season tickets for over 50 years.

Mr. Buckner was a veteran of the Korean War serving from 1951 to 1958 in the Air Force. At the expressed wish of the commanding general, Artie was made the emcee of the officers club where he delighted all and was able to bring first class Hollywood entertainment to the base. During his tour of duty, he used his sharp wit to develop a popular stand-up comedy routine while entertaining the troops.

After the war, Mr. Buckner married Marilyn Berger in 1957 and lived in Union, NJ before moving to the suburbs of West Orange, NJ. Mr. Buckner was the co-founder and owner of Duchess Kitchens in East Orange, NJ, a highly-renowned home improvement business specializing in the design of upscale kitchens and bathrooms.

Mr. Buckner is survived by his devoted fiancée, Joanne, his three cherished children, Tami, Cindy, and Wayne, his loving son-in-law, Andrew, and an adored grandson, Adam. The friends and relatives he leaves behind measure in the hundreds and he will be missed by them, eternally.

Service will be held on Tues., June 4, 2013, at 11:30am at Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Funeral Home in Livingston.