Wayland "Buck" L. Buoy

Wayland L. "Buck" Buoy, 92, formerly of Imbler, died Aug. 10 at his home in Hermiston.

Recitation of the rosary will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Burns Mortuary Chapel in Hermiston. Mass will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, Hermiston.

Buck was born on Jan. 22, 1915 to Roy and Violet Linklater Buoy in Prescott, Wash. He was raised in Imbler and went to school there.

He joined the Navy, serving in the South Pacific during WWII. He returned to Oregon and moved to Coos Bay where he worked as a body and fender man and a mechanic until 1957. Buck moved to Marin County, Calif., and later to Indio, Calif. in 1964. He was a member of the California Air Patrol where he was an accomplished sharp shooter.

Buck married Jean Swartz on Sept. 5, 1969, in Novato, Calif. They moved to Hermiston. Buck worked at Hanford as a member of the Operating Engineers Union No. 370 until his retirement in 1982. The couple enjoyed wintering in California and later in Tucson, Ariz., until 1999.

Buck was a member of the Eagles Lodge No. 2909, Elks Lodge No. 1845 and Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, pilot and rock hound. He loved trips to the mountains to gather mushrooms, huckleberries or just spend some time. Buck's family says he was a good big brother and he spoiled his sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Jean, of Hermiston; daughter, Carol Buoy Guthrie and her husband, Steven, of Baker City; sisters, Gloria Otis of Wall Walla and Myrna Butler of Wilsonville; two grandsons; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Buck was preceded in death by a brother, Delbert Buoy; and a granddaughter, Amy Gutherie.