Sam loved having coffee every weekday morning with his friends at the Rocky Bay. We are so very grateful to God for the gift we received in Sam Buck II. Third was his love for San Juan Island and San Juan County. Sam and Barbara had so many close friends and so much fun throughout their lives. He and Barbara kissed and hugged every day until his last breath.

He disarmed people with his smile and the twinkle in his eyes that immediately conveyed he was a joyful, loving soul worthy of their trust. Sam loved to engage people even those he’d never met. The three books are currently in the process of being combined into one. They are available at Griffin Bay Bookstore in Friday Harbor. He has written three books: The Bucks Stopped Here (The Buck Family Heritage In The San Juan Islands) Every Day Is an Adventure (Growing Up On San Juan Island) and A Letter To The People Of Our Amazing and Wonderful San Juan Islands. Sam and Barbara continue to support their extended community - Friday Harbor, San Juan Island and the San Juan Islands, the place he has loved most throughout his life. (He was a perfect Daddy Warbucks!) Following that, by popular demand and the urging of his children, he put on a concert at the community theater to benefit the Kinder Music Fund, he and Barbara established in order to help bring music instruction and instruments to K-6 grade children in Friday Harbor. He sang at so many weddings and funerals that he was known as “Marry ‘em and Bury ‘em Sam.” After supporting the construction of the San Juan Community Theatre, he played Daddy Warbucks in the opening production of Annie. Sam has loved music and singing since childhood. Sam and Barbara are supporters of the arts. In 2015 he received the Local Hero’s Award at the Friday Harbor Film Festival and prior to that the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce awarded him with the first annual Sam R. Sam was a recent Grand Marshal of the Friday Harbor Independence Day Parade, (one of the top 10 small town parades in the nation). Sam was also a charter member of the San Juan Island Yacht Club and the San Juan Island Golf Club, (member #6, after the John Jackson family). Further, he was a member of the Royal Order of Jesters. Buck I, was the Charter President) and is a Past Master of the San Juan Island Masonic Lodge. He belonged to the American Legion (His Dad, Sam R.

He is the Charter President of the Lions Club, where he is a Melvin Jones Fellow. Sam participated in many local organizations. He was also instrumental in the creation of the San Juan Island Golf Course and the original development of Roche Harbor, as well as its eventual transfer to the new owners. He got most of the large land owners in San Juan Valley to agree to restricting their land to one house per 40 acres so that the valley could remain open farmland with beautiful vistas. Sam bought Goose Island and then sold it to the Nature Conservancy to prevent construction of a proposed bridge connecting the south end of San Juan Island to Lopez Island. He got the University of Washington to buy False Bay, preventing it from being dredged for a marina. He was the first to incorporate self-imposed environmental restrictions with the development of Brown Island. Sam has been involved in numerous environmental preservation efforts in the islands. If he hadn’t done it when he did there wouldn’t be places to live here for a lot of people who are a big part of our community. His efforts transformed what the county once considered relatively worthless land into valuable properties, contributing substantially to the health and well-being of the community. (An undetermined date.) No one has provided more property for people to build homes on or has been involved in more real estate transactions in the San Juan Islands than Sam Buck, and likely no one ever will. He and Barbara established San Juan Properties, Inc., a real estate sales and development company, in 1960 which he ran until he retired. He loved to sing, and tell stories and to entertain.

Sam is literally a legend in the San Juan Islands. He was surrounded by his beautiful wife, Barbara, his 4 children: Sam Buck III (Jane Buck) Lori Stewart Steve Buck and Lynn Buck Wade (Mark Wade) as well as 6 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and other extended family who all loved him very much. He transitioned from his beautiful west side view home on San Juan Island to Heaven on November 6th, 2016. Buck was born in Friday Harbor, Washington on April 6th, 1927.

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