Alan J. Buck

Alan J. Buck, 74, of Fenner Hill Road, Hopkinton, having waged a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer, departed this Earth in the presence of his children during the quiet early morning of Wednesday, January 17, 2024, while comfortably nestled in his beloved log cabin, amidst numerous visits by loving family and friends.

Alan was born in Westerly, the son of the late George W. and Virginia M. (Algiere) Buck. Upon graduating Westerly High School in 1967 and earning his AC and Refrigeration Technician's degree from New England Tech in 1968, he worked at several appliance and HVAC companies including Morrone Electric, Coogan Gildersleeve, and Duncklee Cooling & Heating. His early career was interrupted in 1969 when, just 2 weeks after marrying the late Ruth Ann (Arruda) Beers, he was drafted by the United States Army to serve in the Vietnam War. Alan served with distinction, attaining the rank of Specialist 5 after just 11 months of duty. Alan returned to civilian life, and in 1979, founded his own refrigeration and HVAC company, Technical Maintenance. With hardly any advertising during his 42 years in business, Alan's reputation for honest, expert work earned him hundreds of commercial and residential customers in RI and CT.

Alan's love of the outdoors and respect for nature enriched his life. True to his surname, he was an avid deer hunter and tagged more than 30 whitetails over the years, almost all with traditional wooden recurves or longbows. Outside of hunting season, you could often find Alan paddling secret spots in the coves of Westerly and Stonington, seeking striped bass or plying ponds for freshwater fish. He loved hosting family events at his woodland property, enjoying good food, fine wine and talking around the campfire under starry skies.

Alan's spirit lives on in the hearts of his children Justine A. Buck of Ashaway and Erin M. Buck of Westerly, as well as siblings George (and Bonnie) Buck, and Mark (and Cheryl) Buck of Westerly, and his twin sister Marie (and Bob) Ribner of Noank. Alan is also survived by two grandchildren, Sophia M. and Phoebe A. Buck of Westerly, nieces Michelle Buck, Esq. (wife of George Bauerle), and Allyson (and Taylor) Caputo, nephews George Buck Jr., Michael Buck, and Dylan (newly wed to Brittany) Buck, all of Westerly, and devoted friends Oscar Chapman and John Loughborough, among many others.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 10:00 am at Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home & Crematory, 64 Friendship Street, Westerly. A procession will follow to River Bend Cemetery, Westerly where full military honors will take place. Calling hours will take place at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4-7 pm.

For online condolences, please go to www.rushlowiacoifuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, donations in Alan's name can be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the Wounded Warrior Project, or the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.