Buck Arnold Haines, affectionately known as Bucky, passed away May 2, 2007.
He was born at home Nov. 24, 1936, the fourth of nine children born to Roy and Dorothy Haines. At that time the family lived at “The Old Police Station” near the Gables.
The family moved to Alexis Creek in 1940 to be closer to a school. Bucky along with his siblings attended the one-room log school, where many happy childhood memories took place. There was always something for kids to do then; trapping squirrels, hiking to the river or up the rim rock, which was a favorite place. There were always chores, packing water or chopping wood to do.
When Buck finished elementary school, his teenage years were spent in the Chilcotin. His first job was helping brother Bob haying for Jack Maindley at Alexis Lake.
Buck worked for the Department of Highways picking rocks and operating a grader, he worked in John Lazzarin’s mill at Cinema, and mills at Horsefly, Springhouse, Meldrum Creek and other places in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
Buck liked driving cars; his first car was a 1928 Hupmobile soft-top and if the road conditions were right it could manage 60 miles per hour.
He and the boys had a lot of fun with it.
Buck liked the big rigs, dump trucks, lumber and logging trucks. He worked for Harold Stuart driving dump truck, hauling gravel on Highway 20. He drove for Hodgson Freightways and hauled oil and asphalt to the Puntzi air base. He had to climb inside the asphalt tank on the truck in the hot summer sun to chip off the hardened asphalt, a feat many couldn’t do.
He worked feeding cattle for Bayliff’s in the winter and in Church’s sawmill at Big Creek. He said Dick Church was a good man to work for as they had coffee breaks, and cookies.
He drove lumber truck for Elton Elliott and Gordon Jasper hauling from the Chilcotin and hauled logs from Horsefly and Mitchell Bay area.
In the early 1960s Bucky married Marge Gaspard and they lived in Merritt where he drove logging truck for Johannes Post Trucking.
From Merritt Buck moved to the coast where he was a longshoreman and met Josephine Charles. They raised one daughter, Melody, of whom Bucky was so proud.
Buck came back to the Chilcotin to visit many times; he enjoyed the old time stories, and could tell a few himself.
These past few years Buck has lived in Williams Lake and recently moved from Deni House to the Senior’s Village, where he passed away peacefully with his family around him.
Bucky was predeceased by his wife, Josephine, his parents Roy and Dorothy Haines, a brother, Grove Mark Haines, sister Juanita Norberg and a nephew, John Holloway.
He is survived by his daughter Melody Haines; sisters Lenora (Jerry) Rushton, Karen Fairclough; brothers Bobby (Doreen), Lawrence (Frankie), Roland (Joy), and many nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Carlin Haines, Clayton Haines, Joey Haines, Morgan Haines, Blaine Norberg, Mark Rushton. Honorary pallbearers were Collin Bambrick, Bobby Blatchford, Gordon Jakel, McLure Jim, Levi Purjue, Tommy Zimmerlee.
The eulogy was read by Bob Haines. The music was by Stanley Stump. Pastor Art Joyce officiated. Interment was in the Haine’s plot. The service was held in the Alexis Creek Community Hall on Sat. May 12, 2007. A reception followed.