BUCKNAM, Stephen 1910-2004

BUCKNAM, RADFORD, CAMPBELL

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 10/6/2011 at 15:14:38

STEPHEN BUCKNAM –December 3, 1910-- July 29, 2004
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Stephen (Steve) Bucknam, 93, of Jamestown, North Dakota passed away. Steve was born December 3, 1910 in Osage, Iowa.

His father Darwin Alton Bucknam, mother, Grace (Radford) Bucknam and sons, Radford, Darwin and Steve moved to Jamestown in 1914. Steve attended local schools, including Roosevelt, and graduated from Jamestown High School in 1930. He received a BA in social science from Jamestown College in 1934.

Steve was an owner of B & R Photo Finishers in the early thirties with his best friend, Ernest Rude, and also worked as Assistant Manager of the State Theater until 1938.

In December 1938 he married the former Mathilda (Tillie) Campbell of Jamestown at St. James Catholic Church.Mr. Bucknam moved to California in 1939. He worked for the Jessen Garage, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and in 1941 joined Lockheed Aircraft Corporation where he worked for 34 years before retiring in 1975.

At Lockheed he was a Production Manager who worked with Kelly Johnson in the "Skunkworks" on such aircraft as the P80, the U2 and the SR71 Blackbird. He took courses at USC in Engineering during his tenure at Lockheed. While in California Steve and his wife, Tillie, and their two children, Steve, Jr. and Neil lived in Northridge in a home which Steve designed and built by himself.

In 1990 Steve and Tillie returned to Jamestown to live in the home his father bought in 1921. He immediately set about restoring and fixing up the place even at the age of 81. Mr. Bucknam along with Tillie enjoyed auto travel and made numerous trips across the United States. He also enjoyed carpentry, auto mechanics and photography.

Steve is survived by his wife, Tillie, his eldest son, Steve Jr. and his wife, Jody, of Laguna Niguel, California and their sons, Mark, Peter, James and Gregory. He is also survived by son Neil Bucknam and Bari, his wife, of Northridge, California and their sons, Sean and Ryan and daughter, Marisa. Mr. Bucknam also has six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Darwin and mother, Grace, and brothers Radford, Darwin and Donovan.

Steve now rests in the arms of his Lord Jesus, having lived a long and fruitful life as a witness of the Lord's love in action to all those who crossed his path. A Rosary is planned for Monday, August 2, 2004 at 7:00 PM at the Eddy Funeral Chapel with a wake immediately following and funeral mass will be at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, August 3, 2004 at the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown with interment at Calvary Cemetery, Jamestown. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jamestown Hospital Foundation. Arrangements are with Eddy Funeral Home, Jamestown, North Dakota.

Published in the Los Angeles Daily News on Saturday 7/31/2004.