John Wayne Buckley

JOHN WAYNE BUCKLEY, M.D. died January 1, 2023, at the age of 86. Wayne was born December 29, 1936, in Pine Bluff, Ark., the younger son of Carie Dan Buckley and Lenore Collins Buckley. He had a wonderful childhood spending time in Scouting (Eagle), riding his horse, Gypsy, to school and enjoying sports and other activities with friends he remained close to the rest of his life. Graduating from Pine Bluff High School in 1954, he entered the University of Arkansas earning a degree in Chemistry. While at the U of A, Wayne thoroughly enjoyed campus life as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and made many friends throughout the state. In the last years of his life, Wayne still attended SAE lunches and had a regular lunch group of old friends dubbed the Romeo's (Retired Old Men Eating Out). After graduation he entered the U of A Medical School earning his medical degree in 1958. He served briefly as a doctor in the United States Air Force (Captain) at Keesler AFB before completing his medical training in Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Houston. Returning home to Pine Bluff he founded the South Arkansas Ear Nose and Throat Clinic. He was a member of the American Medical Association, Arkansas Medical Society, the American College of Surgeons, the American Board of Otolaryngology, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. He was also active in the Jefferson County Medical society and the AHEC program. Wayne married his high school sweetheart, Jane Gray Roe, on July 11, 1958. They moved back to Pine Bluff with their two children and lived happily for over 30 years until Janie died unexpectedly on May 31, 1999. He was later reacquainted with a college friend, Anne Shaw, and they were married in 2003 in Shreveport, La., where Anne lived. Wayne and Anne lived happily in Shreveport for 15 years until Anne died on September 29, 2018. Soon after, Wayne returned to Arkansas to live in Little Rock at Parkway Village where he made many friends. A devout Christian, Wayne was a regularly attending member of First Presbyterian Church in Pine Bluff, the First United Methodist Church in Shreveport where he loved his Sunday School class and Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Wayne loved to travel and was fortunate to have seen so much of the world during his lifetime. With his good memory he was a walking encyclopedia of travel advice. He enjoyed playing golf (an excellent putter), oil painting, Razorback football, reading and most of all spending time talking with friends and family. Wayne was a wonderful conversationalist and his quick wit, intelligence, vast knowledge and easy demeanor made him great company. He had a large and generous heart, a sincere love for people and he certainly never met a stranger. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Carie D. Buckley, Jr., M.D., first wife, Jane Gray Roe Buckley, and second wife, Marguerite Anne Shaw Buckley, and her son, Stuart Couch. Survivors include a son, John Roe Buckley, and his wife, Ruth of Tyler, Texas; a daughter, Sidney Buckley Carter, and her husband, Larry of Little Rock; grandchildren, Hale Buckley, Anna Gray Buckley, Annie Carter, and Jack Carter; and stepdaughter, Catherine Anne Couch as well as nephews, Carie Buckley, III, M.D., David Buckley, M.D, and Steven Buckley, M.D. A celebration of Wayne's life will be held at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church on Friday, January 6, 2023, at 2 P.M., By Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors (online register: www.RalphRobinsonandSon.com) In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.