Steve was born at 11:17 pm on Friday, November 22nd and was a gentle, loving, caring husband and a true Texas-born Gentleman from Waco. He lived most of his life in Austin and died at 7:58 am on Friday, July 19th, 2019 in Surfside, Texas on his last trip to the beach. He leaves behind his wife Trish R. Buck, his sister Kathy, her daughter Ariel, and Kathy’s husband Dennis Grace; Steve’s brother Phil Buck in Austin; his cousin Jackie her husband Steve, and their son, and his God-son Steven Ray Bowen in Waco. His favored Aunt Mary Rose Newton in Princeton, Indiana. He is preceded in death by both his mother Ida D. Buck, his father Rob-Roy L. Buck, and his Grandparents Antonio and Rosa DiGioia born in Italy but buried in Tours, Texas in McLennan County.
Steve was an amazingly smart man who started his education at the University of Texas with a major in Physics and Math. He worked at W.L. Gore and Associates as a Manufacturing Engineer and a Machinist who earned 3 U.S. Patents in interconnect design. He was a self-taught programmer who worked with Wal-Mart stores, Expressive Technologies and The Boeing Company out of St. Louis. He was a Legal Assistant, an Insurance Adjuster, and a Technical Supervisor for PSAV. He was very proud of when he filed his Texas Certificate of Authority for his dream job as an excellent dessert maker as BUCK'S KITCHEN INC. He never opened a box to make his desserts, he made all his pasta and pie crusts by hand. He took deliberate and dedicated time in the kitchen and always make delectable treats! He was a master in the kitchen as well as a master technician. He could fix anything and would create his own widget to finish a job, and would work on things all night to make sure it was perfect for the morning's job. He was a natural at problem-solving and as a youngster he worked in a dry cleaning laundry operation, fixed air conditioners and microwaves, worked as a dishwasher to a pizza cook, worked in a steakhouse, was a pipefitter who installed fire sprinkler systems, assembled laminating machines, could figure out and fix anything in auto repair, and was a man who took it upon himself to make others conundrums work perfectly! He excelled in the ability to assess issues with his natural intuitive ability to come up with workable answers to nagging problems. He even competed in the National Scrabble Association Tournament and won 8 out of 13 games as a high-ranking contestant! He went to the School of Hard Knocks and came out as an honorable, honest man who many of us loved very much!
The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas Ancient Free and Accepted Masons presented a certificate to Brother Steven Karl Buck who was Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason in Hill City Lodge No. 456 located at the Austin Scottish Rite Theater & Museum at 1711 Lavaca Street in Austin Texas on the 8th day of October 2002, A.L. 6002
Steven was also given a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of Distinguished Service and Personal Contributions to Freemasonry on the 22nd Day of May, A.D. 2007, A.L. 6007
Steve loved to cook, go fishing, sailing, swimming, dancing, exploring, and inventing. He was a beloved husband, partner, friend, sibling, Masonry brother, co-worker, and family member. He surpassed the time given by doctors and had a 20-year plan, but was taken from us way too soon. He was smiling, laughing, dancing, singing, and feeling the true love he had always wanted even in the very end. He will be greatly missed by all of us. We will be having a Celebration of Steve's Life on Friday, November 22nd at the Old Homestead on 1124 Clayton Lane, Austin 78723 from 6 pm that evening and pick up the next day, in case any weren't able to make it on Friday night, we will be continuing to celebrate his life on Saturday, Nov 23rd and wrapping it up just after midnight. It will be a pot-luck gathering with tent camping available on the property where Trish and Steve were happily married. Any stories or "Buck-isms", or things Steve used to say, poetry, pictures or thoughts about Steve will be added to the Steve BuckBook available that weekend. Please send memories to Buck-ets@hotmail.com