Donald “Donnie” Ray Buckley

Donald “Donnie” Ray Buckley, age 60, of Texarkana, Texas passed away September 11, 2024. He was born May 30, 1964 in Garden Grove, California to Joan Garner Wright and Ralph Buckley, Sr. Donnie moved to Hope, Arkansas in 1971 with his family where he attended Hope High School.

Donnie was proceeded in death by his father, Ralph Buckley, Sr.; his siblings: Dennis Buckley, Judy Buckley Arnold, and Ralph Buckley, Jr.; his stepfather, Floyd Wright; his grandparents: Daward and Gladys Garner and Troy and Mildred Buckley; his aunt Nancy Garner Bonner; and his uncle Reford Garner.

He is survived by his mother, Joan Garner Wright; his siblings: Susan Evans (Husband Terry Evans), Donna Campbell, Lisa Buckley Hardin, and Victor Buckley; his uncle Bobby Garner (Wife Anita Garner), his aunt Glenda Crutcher (Husband Jerry Crutcher); his nieces and nephews: Jesse, James, Mallory, Courtney, Brittany, Alan, Joyce, Dexter, Jason, Jacob, Jeffrey, Andrew, Chelsea, and Fox; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and numerous cousins.

Donnie loved to travel, which led him naturally into a career as an over-the-road commercial truck driver. He was employed with Bennett Trucking. When he wasn’t seeing the country as part of his job, he enjoyed taking road trips whether alone or with family. He especially loved traveling out West. An extension of his love of travel was his love of riding motorcycles. His Harley was his pride and joy. If he wasn’t riding it, he would be looking and thinking of new ways to personalize and modify it.

To know Donnie was to love him and his family was very important to him. If he wasn’t traveling across the country, he was usually pestering and caring for his mother Joan. When he was on the road, he would call her several times a day to pester her remotely. He was lovingly known as “Butthead” by some of his family due to his teasing nature. He loved to pick on family and friends who would give it right back to him. He would rarely give you a straight answer. If you told him “I love you”, Donnie would simply say “later”. Donnie wouldn’t often say he loved you but he showed it through his actions and would do anything for anyone.

There will be a private graveside service scheduled at a later date