Julian A. "Bucky" Buckner

Julian A. “Bucky” Buckner entered this world on July 19, 1952. His childhood was spent traveling the world as the child of an Army officer. February 9, 1964, was a pivotal moment in his life - seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. From that moment on he knew he wanted to be a musician and work in the music industry. He naturally was in some high school bands, and upon graduating high school, started college at Montevallo College in Alabama, where he made many lifelong friends, but the road called him away. He worked and traveled with several bands for several years, before settling down at a record distributorship in Atlanta. During these years he met his wife, Wanda, who shared his love of music and travel.

With the advent of the Internet, the music industry changed drastically, so he decided to pursue another lifelong passion: cooking. Thus his second career was formed in the culinary arts field. After much research he and Wanda decided to move to Charleston, SC so he could attend Johnson & Wales University. His love of the Lowcountry began then. After attending J&W as well as the Citadel, where he received his Master's degree, he was offered a job teaching at J&W.

When Johnson & Wales moved their Charleston campus to Charlotte, Julian and Wanda chose to remain in Charleston. After a few weeks working as a private chef on a yacht in the Caribbean, he was offered the job of creating and teaching the new culinary arts program at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant. His career blossomed at Wando with many wins in culinary competitions, state, and national. He taught some amazing students who went on to have incredible culinary careers themselves.

In 2012 he was offered a job as culinary instructor at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The last six years of his working life were spent at Ramstein, which permitted him to travel as much as possible all over Europe. Everywhere Julian lived, many amazing friendships began over his love of travel, music, food, and wine.

Julian was predeceased by his parents, Julian E. Buckner and Elizabeth Cooper Buckner, as well as his younger brother, Robert. Surviving are his wife, Wanda; sister-in-law, Joanne Buckner, as well as her three children, Brad, Michelle and Kyle; his brother-in-law, Wendell Simmons and his daughter, Nicole Simmons; and last but not least, his beloved dog and napping partner, Wolfgang Amadeus Buckner, a/k/a Wolfi.

Julian left this world on August 27, 2025, having lived a very fulfilling and happy life. He will be missed.

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