Billy Kirby Buckels

Billy Kirby Buckels, 95, of Lake City, Florida, passed away on September 11, 2026, at the Solaris Healthcare.

Billy was born on January 11, 1931, in Jasper, Florida, to the late Leroy Emerson Buckels and the late Cecil Floy Dedge Buckels. He was one of eleven (11) children. Mr. Buckels was a veteran of the United States Air Force. He served 20 years and was a veteran of the Korean Conflict Era, Peacetime and Vietnam Era. At the time of his discharge in 1971, he held the rank of Master Sergeant. During his service, he served 10 years in aircraft maintenance on B47’s and KC135’s and military command engineer on AC47 Gunships and C141’s. After his retirement from the Air Force, he moved to South Carolina where he was a Deputy Sheriff in Beaufort, South Carolina. After years of living in South Carolina, he moved to Arizona and lived for many years until his health brought him back to Florida.

He was preceded in death by his only child, a son, Eddie. He is survived by one brother, Charles Buckles of Chipley, Florida, and one sister, Marjorie Hudson of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

On Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 2 PM, his remains will be buried in with his mother, Cecil Floy Dedge Buckels, and beside his brother, Jack Harrell Buckels, who was a WWII Veteran in the United States Army, in the Evergreen Cemetery, in Jasper, Florida, with Honors.