Daniel Charles Buck

Daniel Charles Buck, 51, a former resident of Stillwater and Enid, died February 19, 2015 in Claremore, Oklahoma. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday February 25, 2015 at the MMS- Payne Funeral Home Chapel in Claremore. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Stillwater. Strode Funeral Home, Stillwater, is in charge of arrangements.
Daniel was born October 4, 1963 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the youngest child of Richard F. and Harriet Ojers Buck. Daniel’s father once observed that Danny was so much younger than his siblings, that he was essentially raised in a household of young adults. Throughout his life Danny had severe cognitive disabilities requiring professional care. However, he remained at home until his special needs could no longer be met by available local programs. In 1972, he moved to the Enid State School, where a program more suited to his needs was then available.
The need for additional local facilities to provide education and training for the handicapped was brought into focus by his mental handicap. His parents, as volunteers, began a study of these needs and alternate means of providing such services without the necessity for institutionalization. This eventually led to the establishment of the Sheltered Workshop for Payne County, Inc. and the associated Stillwater Group Homes, Inc. as local facilities for the handicapped.
Daniel remained in the Enid facility and was graduated from the Cherokee Park School there in 1986. Although Daniel was not a candidate for further formal education, his mechanical skills permitted his participation in their sheltered employment program there. He remained in this program and eventually transferred to the Greer Center in Enid. Several years after outliving his parents, when he moved to Claremore in 2006, Daniel finally achieved the life style his parents had long envisioned, in a private home setting with friends as roommates, a job with Rogers County Training Center, and personalized, loving, in home care.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Harriet Buck, and his brother, Dr. Paul Buck and wife Linda.
Daniel is survived by his brothers, Dr. David Buck and wife Ottilia of Washington, DC, Bryan Buck and wife Caroline of Kaufman, Texas, and Neal Buck and wife Lora of Tulsa, Oklahoma; his sister, Dr. Janet Buck-Marusov and husband Dr. Paul Marusov of East Lyme, Connecticut; his long time housemates, Marvin Brendle and Shamus Palmer; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Sheltered Workshop for Payne County, Inc., 516 Expo Circle East, Stillwater, OK 74075 (405-377-0834).