George C "Buck" Buchanan

George Collison “Buck” Buchanan, born March 10, 1942 in White Plains, New York passed on April 2, 2019 at the Marley House in Prescott, AZ surrounded by his family. He was predeceased by his mother Julia M. and father George A. Buchanan. He is survived by his wife and best friend Sheila M. Buchanan, brother James “Jim” (Barb) Buchanan, children Teri Ann(Paul) Hanisch of Phoenix, George (IIyse) Buchanan of Tucson, Amanda Buchanan of Prescott, Garret (Nakita) Buchanan of Chandler, 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. “Buck” came to Prescott, Arizona in 1946 with his parents and younger Brother “Jim” in a 1939 Ford “Woody” Station Wagon and the family resided in the much smaller town of Prescott than it is now. The following year they moved to the “Sundown Ranch” in Williamson Valley. In those early years, a significant portion of the Williamson Valley Rd. or Simmons Highway was still a rough and sometimes rutty dirt road, no electricity for several years and no telephone until 1964. He enjoyed the Ranch Life and the many wonderful people he met along the way, did some cowboying until it became obvious a “job with real benefits” was a better choice. He enjoyed Rodeo, hunting, fishing, camping, boating on Lake Powell, trail rides and later riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle as some of his pastimes and loved to sit with longtime friends and remember family, friends and local history. He attended Prescott Schools at Miller Valley, Washington and Lincoln. Junior High when it was located on E. Gurley St. where his office as the Elected Sheriff of Yavapai County later was built and Prescott High School on S. Granite St. where Prescott Middle School is now located. He continued formal education at Yavapai College and was later a Graduate of the National Sheriffs Institute at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, National Institute of Corrections in Longmont, Colorado and was certified by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, among many others. During his Law Enforcement career, he was honored to serve as an elected member of the National Sheriffs Association Board of Directors and subsequently elected to one of five positions on the Executive Committee for United States. He was appointed by the Governor of Arizona to the Arizona Peace Officer’s Memorial Board as well as the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission where he also served as Chairman for two years among numerous others. After his retirement in 2004, he continued to reach out through his membership in Yavapai County Jeep Posse Search and Rescue Unit. He began a career in Law Enforcement spanning over 40 years beginning in Globe, Arizona in 1964 during a 3 year absence from Prescott, returning to Prescott as a Police Patrolman in 1965 an rising through the ranks to Lieutenant from which he retired in 1988 to seek the Post of Elected County Sheriff, of which he was successful and re-elected 3 more times to become the longest serving Sheriff in Yavapai County’s history and retiring honorably with 16 years of service. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday April 13, 2019 from 1:00-2:00pm at the Ruth Street Theatre 1050 Ruth St. Prescott, followed by a gathering of friends at the Prescott High School Cafeteria from 2:00-4:00pm. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Youth Fund, a program started by Sheriff Buck Buchanan, in which he would name a graduating senior who showed exceptional character and community involvement. One senior from each graduating class would receive a scholarship through the YCSO Youth Fund. Donations may be dropped off at any Sheriff’s office Sub-Station or mailed to Budget Office Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office 255 E. Gurley St. Prescott, AZ 86301

George C "Buck" Buchanan

March 10, 1942 - April 2, 2019