Dr. John D. Buck, 71, of Groton Long Point and Longboat Key, Fla., passed away suddenly on Dec. 6, 2006, following a stroke.
He was the beloved husband of Patricia Jones Buck; devoted father of John Tanner Buck, Bethany Buck and partner, Judith Mitchell, and Kristin and Mark Desautelle; and grandfather of two adored granddaughters, Morgan Elizabeth Desautelle and Tate Eyre Desautelle.
He was predeceased by an infant son, Jonathan Eyre Buck.
Dr. Buck was a Professor Emeritus of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his bachelor of arts and master of science with honors and distinction in bacteriology. He taught for 43 years at the Storrs Campus and the Avery Point branch. Dr. Buck received his Ph.D. in marine sciences from the University of Miami, Virginia Key, Miami, Fla.
Distinguished in the fields of bacteriology, marine sciences, and marine microbiology, Dr. Buck was a senior scientist at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla.
Dr. Buck was chairman of the board of advisors and vice-chairman of the board of governors for the Mystic Marinelife Aquarium. He was also a member of the board of trustees for the Sea Research Foundation, a member of the Council of Scientific Advisers for the Whale Study Center, and he served for many years as Task Group chairman for the American Society of Testing & Materials. He was a member of many professional organizations as well, including an emeritus, 50-year member of the American Society of Microbiology, and Sigma XI.
Dr. Buck has published collectively over a hundred articles in scientific journals, papers, and books. His particular research interests were distribution and ecology of aquatic yeasts, microbiological methods, microbial diseases of marine mammals, particularly in dolphins, whales, and sharks, bacteria associated with elasmobranch fish, and human pathogens in the marine environment. Dr. Buck was a classic marine microbiologist and a respected, dedicated teacher who took great pride in the accomplishments of his students. His colleagues at UCONN recall John's dedication to teaching undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have gone on to successful professional careers. John worked tirelessly as a researcher at the then Noank Marine Research Laboratory and was a very supportive in the development of marine science education programs, the Department of Marine Sciences, and helping to establish Avery Point as UCONN's "Marine Campus". He will be sorely missed as a colleague and friend.
John was born in Hartford, and met Patty at the Suffield Academy in the summer of 1955. They were married in Bristol, on Nov. 19, 1960, and divided their time together on the shore between Connecticut and Florida, and summers on Martha's Vineyard.
His interests were many and varied. A lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, John was finally rewarded with a National Championship in 2005. When his son was young, he also was a coach for the Mystic Little League and Babe Ruth League. John had a passion for the history of the American circus, the Civil War, and lighthouses, particularly the East Chop Lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard for which he was a docent. He also enjoyed his involvement in the MVCMA on the Vineyard. In addition, John was a member of the Groton Long Point Yacht Club, and the Spanish Main Yacht Club on Longboat Key.
John was a member of the Noank Baptist Church for 40 years, where he served on the board of deacons and as chairman of the board of trustees. He was also a charter member of Christ Church Presbyterian of Longboat Key.
A memorial service to celebrate his life is scheduled for at 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 10, in the Noank Baptist Church, 18 Cathedral Heights, Noank.
The family strongly asks, with gratitude, that no flowers are sent. Contributions may be made to the Dr. John D. Buck Memorial, established for the Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 City Island Park, Sarasota FL 34236.
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