James Buckley Obituary, Death – We wish to express our deepest condolences to the Buckley family on the passing of James “Jim” Denis Buckley, who resided in Cameron Park, California and was 81 years old. Jim passed away in a calm and serene manner, surrounded by his family and friends. Jim’s parents, Margaret Reid and William Francis Buckley, welcomed him into the world on December 24, 1941, in San Francisco. William J. Buckley, his brother, passed away before him. He is survived by his cherished nieces Margaret Buckley Brown and Laura Buckley Reutter, as well as five loving great nieces and nephews.
Jim attended Abraham Lincoln High School and grew up in the Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods of San Francisco. He graduated from high school in 1959. Jim began his career at Cal State Hayward, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration from the College of Business and Economics. He worked there for thirty years, until he retired in 2001 from his position as Assistant Vice President, Human Resources at CSU East Bay.
Jim had a deep passion for exploring the world and gaining knowledge about its inhabitants. It was a favorite pastime of his to recount the adventures he had while traveling the world, particularly the time when he found out that his ancestors had originally come from Scotland and Ireland. What was his top piece of guidance for vacationers? It doesn’t matter where on the planet you find yourself, you’ll never be far from an Irish pub or a jazz club. Closer to home, Jim shared his appreciation for fine local wines with visiting friends and family. As a result, many of them became acquainted with the wonderful Zinfandels and Barberas produced in Eldorado County. After retiring, Jim became a member of the Rotary Club of Cameron Park and got deeply involved in the club’s charitable endeavors, which included big projects in Nicaragua and the Philippines that were carried out in other countries. Jim was also involved in the creation and sponsorship of community projects, such as the “Bicycle Give” program and a scholarship fund for high school students in the immediate area.