D.U. “Buck” Buckner
1 linear ft.
A2015-019
1890-1945 (unknown)
D.U. Buckner was born July 1, 1937 in McAllen, Texas. His parents were Joyce Olive Buckner and Dellos Urban Buckner. The family lived in Pharr, Texas and D.U. or "Buck" attended grade school at Carnahan School. He attended the Pharr, San Juan, Alamo High School and was remembered by his laugh. Buck played basketball and tennis, graduating in 1955. Attending four different universities, Buckner attended Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) in Kingsville, enrolled in the army for a while, returned later to Texas A&I and graduated with a B.A. in History and Geography in 1961. Buckner moved to Pomona, California to live with his Aunt Lucille and Uncle Herman. He found employment with Home Savings and Loan Association, Lakewood, California working as a teller. He later moved to the loan department which would later lead him into the real estate appraisal profession. He took up bowling with a financial bowling league where he encountered his wife-to-be. Buckner married Janet Mason Buckner in 1965. In 1967 their first child, Mark Kenric was born and the family moved to McAllen, Texas.
Buckner started working for Jefferson Savings and Loan Association. Realizing there was a need for a professional independent appraiser in the Rio Grande Valley Buckner opened his first office in his home. In 1969 their second child, Joyce Delyn was born. The Buckner Company would grow to the largest real estate appraisal firm south of San Antonio, with offices in McAllen, Brownsville, Harlingen South Padre island, and Laredo, Texas. Buckner obtained the highest professional designation in the real estate appraisal profession; the MAI Designation, standing for "Member, Appraisal Institute" on November 13, 1972. The family moved to Brownsville in 1973, Buckner built a large home, eventually sold the Buckner Business and began to invest in real estate ventures. The third child born was Brian Mason in 1974. Janet and Buck divorced in 1991. Buck purchased a 208 acre ranch twenty miles north of Edinburg, Texas in 1994, selling it two years later. Buckner embraced the Christian faith and describes himself as a Christian, golfer, sportsman, and businessman.
The collection consists of four volumes of "Buck" Buckner's writings including his memoirs, a book he wrote, "The Last Crime," a screenplay for the book, and a volume titled, "Bits and Pieces." Two other items are papers he authored on market studies of the Rio Grande Valley.
The materials are organized as six volumes.
South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Open for Research
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Buckner Papers, A2015-019.XXXX, South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
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A2015-019 – Gift from “Buck” Buckner
Sandra Rexroat accessioned the collection in 2015, Lori Atkins processed the collection and created the finding aid in 2017, Daniel Thacker created the EAD document in 2017.