Buckingham, Jr., Harold Canute
Harold Canute Buckingham, Jr., 91, of Seabury, Bloomfield, CT died on June 5, 2022 at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital with his three children comforting him as he completed his journey and joined his wife and soulmate, Joyce Chesebro Buckingham, in heaven. He was born on November 3, 1930 in Wilkes-barre, PA to the late Reverend Harold and Dorothy (Coats) Buckingham. Harold moved to Oneonta, NY in 1937 and attended the Oneonta Public Schools. He was a boarder student at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School, Kingston, PA, for his junior and senior high school years, graduating in 1948. He was a graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT Class of 1952 and University of Virginia Law School, Charlottesville, VA Class of 1957. He was also an honorary member of Oneonta High School Class of 1948.
Harold served in the Korean conflict from 1952 to 1954 in the 24th Infantry Division, 34th Regiment. He was present for the truce on July 27, 1953 and participated in the subsequent exchange of prisoners of war at Panmunjom.
On September 11, 1954, one day after returning from Korea, Harold married Joyce, also of Oneonta, whom he had known since he was 7 and she 5. The couple lived in Charlottesville, VA from 1954 to 1957 while Harold attended law school and moved to Hartford, CT in 1957. They lived in Hartford and West Hartford before moving to Glastonbury, CT where they resided for 45 years. Their latest residence has been at the Seabury Retirement Community in Bloomfield, CT where they have enjoyed living since 2011. For the past 50 years, Harold has thoroughly enjoyed vacationing, in summer and especially winter, with his family and friends at Kezar Lake, Lovell, Maine.
Harold practiced law for over 50 years at Day, Berry & Howard, LLP (now Day Pitney) in Hartford, CT. Even though he was a partner at a large firm, he always considered himself to be a country lawyer.
Harold was a member of the United Methodist Church of Hartford for 30 years, where he was active in the church leadership and was a member of the choir. For the past 30 years, he has been a member of Center Church Hartford where he has played a major role in that church's building preservation and financial strength.
Harold supported numerous educational institutions, acting as Trustee and board member at Wyoming Seminary, Wesleyan University, and the former Hartford College for Women and as a Corporator of the Hartford International University.
He also mentored and contributed to countless charitable and civic organizations, including, as director of the Bushnell Park Foundation, the YMCA of Greater Hartford and YMCA Camp Woodstock, Connecticut Community Care, as Trustee of the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation, and as president of the Civitan Club of Hartford. He served Glastonbury as chairman of its Zoning Board of Appeals, and the vice chairman of its Housing Authority. He was an avid sports enthusiast and might be found watching any game or any team that happened to be playing, but was most passionate about his teams; The Boston Red Sox, The New York Giants and Uconn Women's Basketball. He also loved researching historical and genealogical facts and was known to frequent ancient and secluded burial grounds.
Harold is survived by his three children, Margaret L. Buckingham, of Dover, NH, Harold C. Buckingham, III, of Marlborough, MA, and Janet C. Buckingham, of Ballston Lake, NY, and his six grandchildren, Brian Eller (Kelley), Ashley Eller, Timothy Buckingham, Matthew Buckingham (Candace), Courtney Round and Shannon Round, of all of whom he was enormously proud. He is also survived by a special “surrogate” granddaughter, Anne Kabagambe, of Uganda and Washington, DC. He was predeceased by his wife, his parents, his sister and brother-in-law, Barbara Buckingham and Roger W. Williams, his brother, Robert C. Buckingham, MD (Thelma) and his first wife, Carol Whiting Buckingham, and his brother, Walter W. Buckingham (Anne).
For those wishing to pay tribute to Harold, in lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to either the 1636 Heritage Partnership, Inc., 60 Gold Street, Hartford, CT 06103, dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Hartford's third oldest surviving building, the 1807 Meeting House of Center Church, Hartford. Or to Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School, Alumni and Development Office, 201 North Sprague Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704.
There will be a memorial service for Harold at Center Church, 675 Main Street, Hartford (across from the Wadsworth Atheneum) at 11 AM on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Further details will be published closer to the date.
For those wishing to greet the family, calling hours will be held at Sheehan-hilborn-breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford on Thursday, July 21 from 6 PM to 8 PM and Friday, July 22 from 2 PM to 4 PM.
Online condolences may be made at www.sheehanhilbornbreen.com
The family would like to thank the amazing staff of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, unit 5.2 and the Palliative Care team for the excellent and compassionate care provided during the last month of our Dad's life.
Please sign guestbook at courant.com/obituaries