Elijah Buckley

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:7 The sun rose for Elijah Buckley on February 19, 1926 in the Shady Grove Community of Arkadelphia when he was born to Eli and Rosie Booker Buckley. Having been born as the twelfth child of sixteen children Elijah was surrounded by love. He confessed hope in Christ at a young age uniting with the Shady Grove AME Church family and he attended the Shady Grove School. He married Bert Ella Willingham and together they raised a beautiful family. On June 2, 1988, Bert Ella passed from time into eternity. Elijah worked as a logger and also at the Acme Brick yard in Arkadelphia. Elijah loved God and wasn’t ashamed to show it. He enjoyed going to church and singing. His greatest joy was spending time with his family. Elijah was better known as “Snowball” and you could always find him cooking barbeque with his brother Earl. He moved into Ross Apartments where he lived until his health begin to fail. He later moved with his granddaughter Leasha Taylor before finally residing at Golden Living Center. His life at Golden Living Center was truly Golden. He not only stole the hearts of the staff, and nurses but the residents as well. The sun set for “Snowball” in his 82nd season on Thursday, September 18, 2008, at Golden Living Center surrounded by his grandchildren. He was welcomed home by his parents, Bert Ella, his two sons Anthony L. Buckley and Elijah Buckley, Jr., his daughter Alberta Brim; two sisters Lucille Jones and Marie Howard; and eleven brothers, Roland Buckley, Eli Buckley, Earl Buckley, Earnest Buckley, R. T. Buckley, Q.V. Buckley, Matthew Buckley, Joseph Buckley, James Buckley, Peter Buckley and Ollie Buckley. Those left to forever cherish his memories are: two sisters, Mary Brownlee of Arkadelphia, AR, and Alberta Jefferson of Lansing, MI; eight children, Bruce Buckley of Arkadelphia, AR, Linda Carroll Buckley of Los Angeles, CA, Wallace Reed of Salt Lake City, UT, Robert McClellan, Gilda Faye McClellan, Gary McClellan, Wanda Gray and Bruce Gray all of Arkadelphia, AR. He also leaves twenty-six grandchildren, thirty-six great-grandchildren, two beloved sister-in-laws, Jezzerie Buckley and Alice Buckley both of Arkadelphia, AR; and a caravan of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, numerous friends and the Golden Living Center family. Mr. Buckley will lie in state at the funeral home on Thursday, September 25, 2008, from 12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m. The family will greet friends and share with them the Images of Life DVD from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. A Service of Celebration for the life of Mr. Elijah “Snowball” Buckley will be held on Friday, September 26, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Gennesaret Baptist Church. Rev. Charles D. Hood, the pastor will deliver a message of comfort. The committal service and final resting place will be at Shady Grove Cemetery in the Shady Grove Community. The bearers of the casket will be Tim Buckley, Louis Buckley, Alvin Buckley, Matthew Buckley, Roy Buckley, Sam Buckley, Joe Buckley, Antonio Buckley, and Carl Brim. The honorary bearers of the casket will be his nephews and grandsons.