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Raymond Claibourne Buckner, 89, died Tuesday afternoon, January 29, 2002 at his home in Rio Rancho. He was born in Hope, New Mexico the same year New Mexico became a state. He was the son of William and Lila Mae Westlake Buckner. He had two brothers Aleck and John and two sisters, Olive and Dorothy. Raymond's father worked as a business manager in Alamogordo, Tularosa, El Paso and Cloudcroft. In 1927 Raymond's father purchased the"Old Buckner Homestead" above Weed on the Aqua Chiquita. All the family pitched in to help and Raymond being a crack shot, was the hunter for the family. He kept the dinner table supplied with squirrel, rabbit, turkey and venison. Raymond left home at 17 and worked jobs in Hope and Alamogordo attending school part time until he earned his high school diploma. Raymond managed a general merchandise store in Hope, worked the oil fields in Hobbs, and ran a dry cleaning route from Roswell to Carrizozo. In 1937 he bought the Mountain Park store in High Rolls, NM, converted it to a self-serve and added a gas station and icehouse. He electrified the store and generated his own electricity with a small power plant. He kept his pet mountain lion Squeaky in a pen out front. In 1941, he met a young schoolteacher from Carlsbad named Ruby when she stopped in his store. In January 1942 he enlisted in the US Navy and served as a gunners mate on a PC 105 submarine chaser escorting convoys to Guantanamo Bay, Pearl Harbor, and the Marshall Islands. During a brief leave on February 17, 1943 Raymond and Ruby were married in Silver Springs, Maryland. During the latter part of WW II, he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Commencement Bay and was made Chief Gunners Mate. After his discharge, he moved to Ruidoso with Ruby and their young son Mike and became an electrical contractor and active citizen of the developing town. He served on the town council and eventually became the mayor of Ruidoso. He helped organize the first Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce and became the first depositor and director of the Ruidoso State Bank. He and Ruby developed their Buckner Electric business into a gift, hardware and appliance store and invested in land and homes in the area. They sold their store in 1960 and worked on various investment properties and homes. They build and/or remodeled 25 houses in Ruidoso and Tularosa. In 1966 they purchased an adobe house in Tularosa for a winter home and eventually made it their permanent home in 1977. They also maintained a cabin in Cloudcroft for summer living. Raymond and Ruby were active members of the Sacramento Mountains Historical Society, The Native Plants Society, and the La Luz Gallery. They were both accomplished artists and Raymond was famous for his little wooden crosses made from desert woods. In 2000 Raymond and Ruby had a new home constructed in Rio Rancho adjoining their son Mike and his wife Judy's home. Raymond enjoyed working at finishing the courtyards, driveways and studio garages of the new home. He enjoyed observing the mountains, birds and rabbits and watching the new construction in the neighborhood. He was a frequent visitor of the Corrales Library and read several books a week. Raymond was preceded in death by his wife Ruby, November 6, 2001; a son, Jeffery Lee who died in 1949; his brother, Aleck; and sisters, Olive and Dorothy. He is survived by his son Michael and wife Judy Lou of the family home; grandson, Ryan and wife Jennifer of Albuquerque; daughter-in-law, Linda Kennedy of Farmington; brother, John of La Luz; brother-in-law, Lester Sharp of Ruidoso; sister-in-law, Jessie Lou Beason of Albuquerque; and her children, Lester, Sandra, Beverly and Kay. Raymond's remains were cremated and a memorial service was held at the family home. His and Ruby's ashes are combined and will be scattered. Arrangements by Vista Verde Mortuary, Rio Rancho, 892-9920.
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