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Bucky graduated from Woodson High School in Fairfax, VA and Flathead College in Kalispell, MT with a degree in criminal justice. Bucky also attended Trinity Christian School, Rippowam Cisqua School, Hargrave Military Academy, and Barry University.
Although a Virginian by birth, Bucky traveled extensively and lived in many places throughout the United States, including Florida, New York, California, Utah, and Arizona. Ultimately finding his heart’s home in Northwest Montana, Bucky fully embraced—and indeed personified—Montana’s lifestyle and culture, enjoying hunting, hiking, fishing, exploring, small-town living, and working outside on his many interesting projects.
Bucky was always a hard worker and rarely without employment, even in high school. Among the many jobs of his youth, he was a door-to-door salesman, telemarketer, civil engineering trainee, bartender, cook, waiter, legal assistant, camping outfitter, and construction worker.
A relentless and resourceful entrepreneur, Bucky founded and operated a transportation company that served the Flathead Valley of Montana for several years. Adept with a chainsaw and other power equipment, he also harvested timber from the nearby national forest and his own land in the Jewel Basin.
While Bucky enjoyed working with his hands and was good at it, he was also a first-rate intellect and brilliant conversationalist. At eight years old Bucky once sat beside a distinguished, highly intelligent guest at a large adult celebration. At the end of the evening, this guest remarked to the host that his conversation with Bucky was one of the most captivating, informative, and enjoyable he had ever had with anyone.
A voracious reader with a polymathic range, he was a smart, knowledgeable, personable, and entertaining authority on numerous topics.
His true lifelong intellectual passion, however, was American history. From the age of five he could flawlessly recite from memory, in forward and reverse chronological order, all the U.S. presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies, along with interesting biographical details for each one (which he did live on radio in first grade). Bucky could also recite from memory Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, and other historically important poems, speeches, and documents. His favorite Halloween costume was Teddy Roosevelt, replete with mustache, monocle, top hat, and a heartily and authentically rendered “Bully Bully.”
Bucky’s passion for American history and deep love for the American way of life was an essential component of who Bucky was and is reflected in just about everything he’s accomplished: A dedicated and high-achieving Cub Scout and Boy Scout. A Life Member of the NRA. An Honor roll student throughout grade school and junior high. An enthusiastic Little Leaguer, a courageous and thoroughly bruised lacrosse goalie, an undersized but tenacious junior high and high school football player. A lover of circuses, parades, family cookouts, rodeos, fireworks, and homemade ice cream. A joyous crooner of patriotic and religious songs. A clever inventor and jury rigger. A magician with a roll of duct tape. A skilled and successful hunter with airguns, rifles, and shotguns.
Bucky Boies was a true American original, a devoted patriot who squarely embodied the timeless American values of freedom, strength, individuality, and love of God, family, and country.
From early on, Bucky was an incredible and immensely talented entertainer. He could sing, dance, act, play instruments, create insightful cartoons, tell jokes, do tricks, and make awesome exploding things like high-powered potato cannons, Drano bombs, and matchstick missiles. From riding the killer whale at SeaWorld at four to his highly acclaimed starring role as “The Music Man” at 12 to his energetic multirole performance in “Man of La Mancha” at 28 to the wild costumes, funny faces, and zany antics he exhibited throughout his life, Bucky was an extraordinary showman who brought a lot of joy, laughter, and humanity to the world.
Always quick with an infectious smile, a clever trick, and a playful attitude, Bucky was adored by his younger cousins and all the many children who gathered around him. Charming, polite, quick-witted, sweet-hearted, and movie-star handsome, Bucky was deeply loved, cherished, and admired by all the adults in his life as well.
Although Bucky did not have children of his own, he was a caring friend, protector, provider, and father figure to Nolan, Callie, and Johnny. He loved those children very much and had a natural talent and affinity for fatherhood. He often said that the happiest, most fulfilling time of his adult life was when he was taking care of his “instant family.”
Bucky was a dedicated, studious, and joyous Christian from an early age. Following years of energetic and knowledgeable participation in Sunday school and Bible study, Bucky was baptized at his request at age 11 at Calvary Hill Baptist Church in Fairfax, VA, where he was a member for many years.
Always thirsty for understanding the big issues, Bucky has read and annotated, cover-to-cover, multiple translations of the Bible. Due to his knowledge, bold personality, and intuitive understanding of human interactions, Bucky was often called upon to say a prayer before dinner or on other special occasions, even at gatherings of primarily adults. He never shrank from these requests, even if made with no warning, and always delivered an appropriate, soulful, and particularized prayer.
As his recent writings and discussions make clear, Bucky kept and guarded his faith throughout his struggles, and his family is comforted to trust, as he did, that Bucky is now safely in the embrace of his Father in Heaven.
Bucky is survived by his father, David Boies III (Michelle Losleben); mother, Robin Lou Boies; siblings: David Boies IV (Samuel Neese), Virginia Louise Boies (Christopher Maclafferty), and Samuel Justice Boies (Sydney Cahn Boies); paternal grandfather, David Boies (Mary Boies); maternal grandfather, Richard Weiss (Nancy Flinn); and dozens of cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Bucky was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Caryl Maniscalco (Elwell); maternal grandmother, Karen Weiss (Shields); his uncle, Jonathan Boies; and his aunt, Caryl Boies.
A memorial and a celebration of Bucky’s remarkable life will be held at a later date. Please feel free to share your pictures, notes of condolences, or remembrances at buckyboies.com.
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