Albert William Buckley, Jr

Surrounded by loved ones and at peace, Al Buckley left us on a sunny afternoon in

October. He assures us he is gone, but his spirit and great humor will remain as clear

and bright as that autumn day.

Born November 23, 1943 in Monroe, Louisiana, to Albert and Marguerite Holladay

Buckley. His love of hunting and fishing was fostered by his father and grandfather and 

remained with him throughout his life. His greatest joys were running a pack of great

bird dogs, early dawns in a freezing duck blind, a mess of catfish caught on a trotline,

flowers Greek Seasoning and good Scotch… not necessarily in that order.

After service in the United States Marine Corps,, he graduated from Middle Tennessee

State with a BA in Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration. Pursuing a

career in real estate development with R. C Mathews, he realized the need for a hybrid

style of warehouse facility termed flex space and subsequently formed Buckley and

Company Real Estate Inc.with his partner, Jo Buckley.

Buckley and Company and John W. Nelley created Nashville Warehouse Investors

which developed state-of-the-art office distribution centers, most notably Airpark

Business Center and Crossroads Industrial Park -- ultimately totaling over 3.5 million

square feet of business and office space. In 2005, Al was awarded the Legacy Award

from the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks.honoring his impact on the

development and management of industrial properties in Nashville, Tennessee.

Real estate development never eclipsed his love of the land and water. With the

ownership of a farm bordering the Duck River and then a 1700 acre natural preserve in

Houston County, Al continued his interests in small game, upland game and deer

management.

Serving on the Board of The Tennessee Wildlife Federation, his farm annually hosted

the Tennessee Governors Dove Hunt, its signature fund-raising event.

A car accident in 2004 resulted in a spinal injury which presented him with the lifetime

challenge of wheelchair mobility which he conquered with grace and humor. His

specially modified trucks always had a duck call in the glovebox and a rifle rack in the

back. There was no dry creek bed or overgrown field that could match the reckless skill

of his customized John Deere tractor.

Al is survived by his mother Marguerite, aged 103, his children, Bill Buckley( Leslie) and

his granddaughter, Dylan Sydney Buckley, his daughters Allison ( Rick) Makatche,

Maggie Buckley and stepdaughter, Whitney ( Jackson) Norman and their children Jet,

Josie and Jack. He is also survived by his brother Don ( Annie) Buckley and their

children Jennifer and Clay, sister Melinda ( Tom ) Bishop and their children Coleman,

Justin and Chase His wife, Lee Smith Buckley, survives and was his great love and

comfort in the final days.

Known to us unforgettably as Big Al, he will always stand tall in our memory.

A Celebration of Life to follow at a later date at his home, appropriately called

Knucklehead Farm.