Bruce Buckingham

Bruce Buckingham, 83, died November 17, 2023, at his home in Kent, Washington. He was born on July 5, 1940, in Terry, Montana, the son of Archie and Henrietta Tusler Buckingham. He grew up in Terry and graduated from Terry High School in 1958. He attended the University of Montana on a ROTC scholarship and served in the United States Air Force. After his discharge, he moved to Los Angeles and worked at the Marianne Frostig Center of Educational Therapy as director of curriculum materials and later as the director of research. Bruce returned to Montana in the early 1980’s and opened The Turning Point, a tutoring program for students with learning disabilities in Billings. Bruce was passionate about using innovative strategies to help students learn. In 1997, Bruce moved to the Seattle area to become the director of technology at Genelex DNA labs. It was from this job that he retired in 2005. Throughout his life and especially in his retirement, Bruce was a Renaissance man in many ways. He was an accomplished artist, performer, writer and composer, tended beautiful gardens, and pursued new knowledge including languages and his many, varied interests. In Los Angeles, he received an area Emmy for his dramatic script The Opportunity. During his time in Billings, he wrote and performed three one man shows at Rocky Mountain College. Gaia (a tribute to Earth and a warning of climate change), Tat (a tribute of his mother), and Fine Wine and Pickle Juice. He continued to write music until his final post to the Music by Bruce Facebook group on September 17, 2023. It was the fifth movement of a series called Prayer. Bruce was predeceased by his grandparents, mother and father, brother Bobby, sister Leah Hendrickson, nephew Tim Hendrickson, and niece Lark Pollari. He is survived by his longtime partner Joohan Um of Kent, his sister Fritzie Buckingham Walker (Tim) of Laurel and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. He was loved and will be missed. If desired, memorials may be sent to the music department of Terry High School. Klontz Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Auburn, Washington is in charge of cremation. No services are planned at this time.