John F. Buckley, Ii

HOLDEN - John F. Buckley, II, age 85, died peacefully on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Oakdale Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, surrounded by the loving presence of his family.

Born in Worcester, John was the son of John and Margaret (Quinn) Buckley. He grew up in Auburn and attended the former St. Peter's High School in Worcester before joining the service. John proudly served his country as an Airman First Class in the US Air Force and spoke fondly of his time stationed in Greenland and Cape Cod. While on leave he met Gail, his beloved wife of 62 years. After leaving the Air Force they resided in Oxford for 16 years before moving to Holden in 1980. John spent the last several months residing at the Briarwood Retirement Community.

John worked for many years as a machinist spending 25 years at Heald Machine Company until its closing. He then spent the remainder of his working years at Service Network Inc.

In his free time John enjoyed spending time tending to his yard and many gardens - his summer vegetables were always abundant, and he enjoyed sharing them with neighbors, friends and family. He played both softball and volleyball with the Worcester County Senior Athletic Association. He and Gail also enjoyed traveling, spending a significant amount of time in Wells, Maine and Orlando, Florida. But he was sure to arrange his travel plans to be on the sidelines of his grandchildren's many activities.

John will be lovingly missed and remembered by his sons, John "Jay" Buckley, III of Thompson, CT, and Timothy Buckley and his wife, Cheryl of Paxton; his sisters, Agnes Bryant and Ann Hurd and her husband, Raymond; and his cherished grandchildren, Kelsey and Drew Buckley; as well as several nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by his wife, Gail P. (Swanson) Buckley in 2023, and by his sister, Patricia Racine.

Family and friends will gather to honor John's life at Calling Hours from 5:00 - 7:00 PM on Wednesday, July 10th at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. Interment will be private at St. John's Cemetery in Worcester, where John and Gail will be laid to rest together.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org . To share a memory or offer an online condolence, please visit the "Tribute Wall" on this page.