The exact date of John’s birth is both a mystery and the subject of family lore. On the day of his birth, which was thought to be October 3, 1933, his mother Catherine Consuelo Buckhoff purportedly said that there was a baby girl born that day destined to be his wife. That came to fruition on September 3, 1955, when he married Nancy Elizabeth Roche, who was also born on October 3, 1933. Together, John and his wife, partner, and best friend established a life together for 62 years until Nancy’s passing in 2017.The mystery of John’s birthdate came about many years later, as he prepared for retirement and found that his birth certificate read October 2, 1933. The disparity immediately became the subject of speculation on how it came to be and became a treasured part of his family history.John was born, according to official documents, on October 2, 1933 in Troy, NY, to John Francis Buckhoff, Sr. and Catherine Consuelo Dennin-Buckhoff. He was the eldest of three sons, including his brother William (Scotia) Buckhoff (by whom he is survived), and his brother Brian (Marybeth) Buckhoff by whom he was predeceased. John graduated from Christian Brothers Academy, where he earned his Military Training Certificate, in 1950. From there, he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He married his soulmate Nancy on September 3, 1955 and served as an Officer in the United States Army from 1955-1957. After being honorably discharged from service, John started his career with the Army Core of Engineers. Life brought Nancy and John back to the Capital Region, where John became employed at the Research Foundation of the State University of New York, where he eventually served as President for many years. During his career, he held many roles within the SUNY system, including serving as Interim Chancellor of the State University of New York College at Stonybrook.John retired in 1995, at which point he and Nancy permanently moved to North Eastham, MA. John was a devoted and lifelong member of the Catholic Church, and a member of St. Joan of Arc parish in Orleans. During retirement, John was a very active and devoted member of his parish, enjoyed many projects, and was ultimately a primary and devoted caregiver for Nancy. John’s strength during that time was remarkable, as always. John is predeceased by his soulmate Nancy, as well as his eldest daughter, Maryanne Lee Nolan. He is survived by six children, including son John (Jayne) Buckhoff, Lisa Buckhoff, Linda (James) Heuther, James (Sonnya) Buckhoff, Karen-Anne (James) Jackson, and Stephen (Charnette) Buckhoff, and a multitude of grand and great-grandchildren. His family will lovingly remember John as the strong, kind, brilliant man who always had insightful input on any challenging situation. He was the band that tied his family together, and exhibited amazing strength and perseverance in the face of adversity or challenge.
John’s family will join for a private celebration of his life. Donations may be made in his memory to The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at https://www.alzinfo.org/donate/donation_form/. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.
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