Robert O'Neal Buck, 90, died April 11, 2022, at Northcrest Community.
A celebration of life service will be 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2022, at Collegiate Presbyterian Church 159 Sheldon Ave, Ames, IA 50014. A private burial will be in the Ames Municipal Cemetery.
Bob was born January 12, 1932, at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, the third of four boys born to Harold G. and Margaret M. Buck. He attended Welch School from kindergarten (where he met his future wife, Anne Knuths) through 9th grade. At Ames High School, he was very active in sports, earning 9 varsity letters in football, basketball, and track and captain in basketball. He graduated in 1950. Bob & Anne were married Aug 24th, 1951. After Bob's 1954 graduation from I.S.U., they spent the next 2 years at Ft. McClellan in Alabama and Fort Lewis in Washington while Bob served in the Army, he participated in 6 atomic blasts most in six-foot-deep trenches and training troops in making maps of radiation isograms. They returned to Ames in 1956, and in 1961 started Buck Construction Co. Inc., which specialized in custom homes, remodeling, and land development. They worked together in the business, with Bob as Pres. & Treas. and Anne serving as V.P., Sec, Bookkeeper, & decorator until retiring in the year 2000.
He has been a member of the Collegiate Presbyterian Church his whole life, serving as a trustee, and held offices in the Ames Jaycees, Ames Homebuilder Assoc., and served time on the Ames Public Library board, Octagon, Ames Chamber of Commerce, and Ames School advisory council.
He is survived by his wife, Anne K. Buck, of Ames, sons Bruce (Charla) Buck (Osprey, FL) and Steven Buck (Ames, IA), daughter Lisa Buck Marino (Ames, IA), and 2 grandchildren, Robby (Marissa) (Glendale, CA) & Elisabeth Marino (Ames, IA) and brother J. Ben (Sarah) Buck of Ames and nieces and nephews.
His parents preceded him in death and his brothers Bill and Jim.