James Lee Buckingham, Jr.

James Lee Buckingham, Jr. passed away in the presence of loved ones on November 4th, 2023. Lee, as he was known to friends and family, was raised in the Bay Area where he spent his younger years in "the City" and his formative years in Menlo Park. Lee first met Ann Chapler in 1960. From that day forward they were inseparable. Dad said he never had to ask Mom to marry him, it was just a fact. They married in 1965 and spent the remainder of their lives together until Ann's passing in 2019. From 1962-1963 Lee attended the University of Oregon where he played football for the Ducks. However, like many young men during that time, Lee's life was impacted by the Vietnam War. Choosing to enlist in the Army in lieu of being drafted, he entered Officer Candidate School and finished second in his class. This distinction allowed Lieutenant Buckingham the flexibility of staying stateside where he served our country at Fort Sill,working as a Ballistics and Heavy Artillery instructor. In 1967, while living in Oklahoma, Lee and Ann had their first child, Kris Buckingham. Upon completing his assignment at Fort Sill, Lee moved to San Luis Obispo to attend the Architecture Program at California's Polytechnic State University (CalPoly). While attending CalPoly, Lee worked as a Sheriff's Deputy. During his free time, Lee also enjoyed riding motorcycles which led him to race enduro with the CalPoly Penguins. Bultaco was his weapon of choice. Lee was very proud to say his grandson is also a Mustang. In 1970, while living in San Luis Obispo, Lee and Ann had their second child, Jason Buckingham. Lee completed his education in 1974, and the family moved to Auburn in order to pursue his new career as an Architect with Lardner Architecture. Lee was proud togo out on his own in 1989 with the help of his "other daughter " Juli who helped him build his business. Lee and Ann were drawn to the foothills because of their love of the outdoors. In particularthey loved winter sports and shared that passion with their family by joining the Auburn SkiClub and the Boreal Race Team. Lee was a family man through and through. It wasn'tunusual to find him building sets for school plays, or coaching various sports. However, he had a special affinity for the ski club. He spent most of his remaining time as a board member, president of the club, or de facto architect. He was always known to carry hot candy on the slopes, and to this day, we find jolly ranchers and cinnamon bears in his ski jacket pocket. When not on the slopes Lee could be found windsurfing with his kids, kayaking with Ann, or playing racquetball with "The Crew". Lee's love for Auburn, architecture, and the arts led him to join the Auburn Arts Commission. He participated in many art initiatives around town. These include the Square, the Memorial tiles, the painted electrical boxes and renovations to the School ParkJames Lee Buckingham, Jr Preserve. Today, the Preserve is populated by plants from Lee and Ann's gardens. In addition to their contribution to the arts community of Auburn, both Lee and Ann volunteered with Gold Country Wildlife Rescue; they spent hours rehabilitating rescued birds. His family is grateful to see reminders of their contributions around town. Lee is survived by his daughter Kris Belk and her husband Jeff of Colfax; his son Jason Buckingham and his wife Valarie of Auburn. Lee was always proud of his children but his grandchildren Delaney, Chloe, Kieran, Addie and Marlie brought him more joy than you can imagine. Lee is also survived by his brother Greg Buckingham and wife Paula of Roseville; his brother Bruce Buckingham and wife Kim of Nashville. Although Lee requested no service, his family recognizes that any endeavor to encourage creativity and support of the community would make him proud. Donations to the The Auburn Ski Club Training Center, the Gold Country Wildlife Rescue, or the Auburn Arts Commission would be great ways to honor his legacy.