House Resolution 65

A RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. RONALD "RONNIE" LEWIS BUCKLEY, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on December 18, 2022, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mr. Ronald "Ronnie" Lewis Buckley, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family, friends and community; and

WHEREAS, born on November 26, 1945, to Dr. Frank W. Buckley and Mrs. Vonnie Crouch Buckley, in Alexandria, Louisiana, Mr. Buckley was a man after his father's heart, taking over as publisher of the Jasper County News, Smith County Reformer, and Laurel Impact, and he also had papers in both Meridian, Mississippi, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, at one time; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Buckley loved his community, and he loved the news and business, much like his father, Dr. Frank Buckley, who served as head of the journalism department at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1954 until 1963, and as department chair, Dr. Buckley acquired a press for the Student Printz, making the university the first in the country to have its own printing operation and allowing students the full experience of newspaper production, and Mr. Buckley followed in his father's footsteps, especially with the printing press, as Buckley Newspapers had one of the last locally-owned presses running in Mississippi until two years ago; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Buckley and his father started Buckley Newspapers in 1967, and nine years later he came up with the idea to mail a free paper during a time when paid publications were the industry trend, and his idea, called the Impact, was later mailed to dozens of zip codes and over 200,000 homes every week, allowing Mr. Buckley to do business with some of the largest companies in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Buckley enjoyed the wonderful things that life had to offer, including fishing, following Southern Miss sports, traveling, and going to church, where he often led the singing, and he was always a ready partner for a good meal, which would be accompanied by a hearty discussion of religion, business, sports, or politics, and he loved conversations about the Bible and his Lord Jesus more than all the other topics; and

WHEREAS, devoted to his family, Mr. Buckley could be seen at local games where his grandkids played, still cheering them on while cheering on any local teams that the newspaper covered, and truly, there are no words to describe how one-of-a-kind he was and how many people he impacted; and

WHEREAS, though he has traversed the river of life to reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and now beckon his arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's grandeur, such as his parents, Dr. Frank W. Buckley and Mrs. Vonnie Crouch Buckley; the legacy of Mr. Buckley's indelible imprint upon our lives will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of his loved ones, including his wife, Mrs. Carolyn Langford Buckley; sons, Michael Buckley and Zach Buckley; brother, Charles Ray Buckley; sister, Mary Carole Bowers; grandsons, Zach Buckley, Jr., John Paul Buckley, and Brooks Buckley; granddaughters, Lana Buckley, Reagan Buckley, and Hannah Grace Buckley; and a host of other relatives and dear friends; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Buckley will forever be loved, cherished and missed by all who knew him, and since it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," his family and friends can find peace and comfort during this difficult time; and

WHEREAS, a genuine man of exceptional character, Mr. Buckley's outstanding legacy will continue for generations to come, and precious memories of time spent with him will hopefully continue to provide warmth, peace and comfort to his loved ones; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and honor the lives of great Mississippians, especially those such as Mr. Buckley, a wonderful man whose life's light illuminated the path of hope for all he encountered along this earthly sojourn:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and honor the life and legacy of Mr. Ronald "Ronnie" Lewis Buckley, and express deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mr. Ronald "Ronnie" Lewis Buckley, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.