Reverend Fred L. Buckner received his final reward and was greeted by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 1st at Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
Born August 31, 1937 in Morehead, KY, Fred was the twelfth of thirteen children born to Benjamin Harrison and Elizabeth (Plank) Buckner.
As a child growing up on a small farm in the hills of eastern Kentucky, life was hard. Much of his youth was spent helping his father work in the tobacco fields and tending to the family’s cattle. Fred learned the value of hard work and thrift, which he put to good use the rest of his life.
On October 8, 1955 in Morehead, Fred married the love of his life, Beulah C. Hall. Together they shared nearly 59 years of love and happiness.
After getting married, Fred sought a new life and greater opportunities up North and moved his family to Ohio. Living in the Mansfield and Mount Vernon areas for a time, he finally settled in Marion.
In 1957, he took a job working at the Singer Sewing Machine retail store in downtown Mansfield. In only four short months he was promoted to Assistant Manager of the Bucyrus store. He was then transferred to the Mount Vernon store, where he became the manager. In 1961, he was again transferred to another store, this time in Marion.
A few years later, he partnered with Fred Roberts and opened a sewing machine business in Bucyrus, known as B&R. Together, they opened stores in Galion, Upper Sandusky and Marion.
By 1970, the partnership had split and Fred took over the Marion location, which was located in the Southland Mall. As the popularity of sewing machines decreased, Fred diversified his inventory and started selling televisions and appliances.
In the early 1980s, Fred purchased a building on State Route 95 and moved B&R TV and Appliance to that location.
At the age of 29, God intervened in Fred’s life and called him into His service. Under the tutelage of Reverend John Gilliam, he became Assistant Pastor of a one-room mission station on Patton Street.
In 1973, after Reverend Gilliam’s passing, Fred became Senior Pastor of the newly established Marion Enterprise Baptist Church on Orton Street.
“Pastor Fred,” as he was affectionately known, devoted his life to God and the church he helped build. From its humble beginnings on Patton Street, Fred’s church went through several remodels and grew to seat 500.
Pastor Fred retired as Senior Pastor in 2005, but continued to serve the church as Honorary Pastor until his death.
During his tenure as Senior Pastor, he presided over numerous weddings , funerals and hundreds of revivals and guided countless numbers of people to God. One of his proudest experiences as pastor occurred during one of the church’s 28-day revival, where he witnessed 68 people give their lives to God.
Fred is survived by his wife and their seven children: Theresa Johnson of Monnet; Dianna Quick(John Little) of Marion; Rhonda (Robert) Higley of Cardington; Deborah Moorman of Marion; Fred (Ronda) Buckner, Jr of Marion; Timothy (Merriam) Buckner of Marion; and Susan (Brad) Bell of Marion; a brother, Fornie of Crestline; a sister, Louise of Morehead, KY; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Our loss is Heaven’s gain. By the grace of God, in the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
Funeral Services will be on Tuesday July 8, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at the Marion Enterprise Baptist Church, 130 Orton St., Marion, Ohio. Officiating the service will be the Revs. Jim McIntire and Calvin Ray Evans. Burial will follow in the Grand Prairie Cemetery. Friends may call at the Church on Monday July 7, 2014 from 12 to 7 P.M. and also on Tuesday one hour prior to the service from 10 to 11 A.M. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the church. On line condolences to the family can be made at www.boydbornfuneralhome.com.
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