Brother Buckner's passing is a shock to all Alphadom. He had returned from Buenos Aires, Argentina — as a delegate to the YMCA World Council meeting — only a week before he suddenly collapsed in his home — 4246 West North Market Street in St. Louis. Following provisions of his will, his body was donated to Washington University Medical School. Memorial services for Brother Buckner were held at Central Baptist Church July 3 1 , 1977 under the direction of the Reverend Thomas Elliott Huntley, Pastor. Alpha Phi Alpha Memorial services were conducted at these rites by Brother Wayne Harvey, President of Epsilon Lambda Chapter. Over 150 Alpha brothers attended in a body, words of tribute were offered by James R. Williams, General President, and Laurence T. Young, Former Executive Secretary. Other expressions and memories were presented by the Mayor of the City of St. Louis, and the Governor of the State of Missouri. A laminated scroll and/or resolution was presented to Brother Buckner's mother, Mrs. Julia Davis. Other words of tribute were expressed by the Deputy Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools, Ernest Jones; Virgil King, Principal of Sumner High School; William McAllister, Executive-MidAmerican Region, YMCA; Richard Kautz, Member of the World Alliance Executive Committee, YMCA; Mel Lowenstein, Assistant Scout Executive, St. Louis Area Council; Melvin Harrington, Chairman of the Board of the Annie Malone Children's Home; Guy R. Atchison, Chairman of the Board - Ferrier Harris Home for the Aged; and Brother Jodie Bailey, Basketball Coach, Northwest High School. Brother Buckner was educated in the public schools of St. Louis, he received his Baccalaureate degree from Stowe Teachers College and his Master's Degree from Northwestern University; post-graduate work at Iowa State and Columbia Universities. At the time of Brother Buckner's death he was Supervisor of Curriculum, St. Louis public schools. He had begun his teaching career in 1943 as an instructor of mathematics at Sumner High School where he was later chairman of the department, and then advisor to superior students before being name Supervisor of Secondary Education in 1960. He served as principal of Sumner High School from 1968 to 1971 when he assumed his present post. Brother Buckner was a member of a large number of professional organizations and had received awards for distinguished service from eleven organizations and social agencies, including four citations from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, where he was an outstanding recruiter of life members, as well as the perennial chairman of the Committee on Constitution. Brother Buckner was the Frontiersman of the Year in 1965 and was named to the Greater St. Louis Athletic Hall of Fame in 1969. His long record of service to the YMCA began in his youth and continued until his death. He had held virtually every high-level volunteer post in the organization and at the time of his death was a member of the YMCA national board, the National Council of the YMCA's of the United States, the Mid-American Region and the City North Branch. Brother Buckner was truly a dedicated public servant. He is survived by his mother, an uncle and many collateral relatives.
Brother JOHN COLE, age 40 — of Los Angeles, California — entered Omega Chapter March 22,1977. Brother Cole was a professional engineer — earning his Baccalaureate degree at the Northrop Institute in Los Angeles, and his Master's Degree in Public Administraton at the University of Southern California. Brother Cole was initiated while a student at San Francisco State University, — and later became an active member of Eta Pi Lambda Chapter in Altadena, California. Brother Cole is survived by his wife, Beverly, a candidate for a doctoral degree at University of California, Los Angeles; one daughter; two sons; and his mother and father. 60
Brother HATCHER A. DAY — a distinguished physician in Cleveland, Ohio, and an active member of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter — passed into Omega Chapter in August of 1977 in a tragic manner. Brother Day was shot by an unknown and as yet unidentified home invader — in his home at 16724 Scottsdale Boulevard, Shaker Heights, Ohio. Brother Day, age 76, was a graduate of Fisk University and Meharry Medical College, in 1931, following which he engaged in General Practice in North Carolina before coming to establish a lucrative profession in Cleveland, Ohio in 1949. He was a member of the Academy of Medicine and the Ohio Academy of General Practice. He was on the staffs of Forest City and Booth Memorial Hospitals, and was associated with MedicScreen, a city clinic. Brother Day was a member of Antioch Baptist Church, holding office therein, and an active official with the Boy Scouts of America. He was an Officer in the Prince Hall Lodge — a Masonic group. Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter has offered a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the identity and conviction of the slayer of Brother Day. Funeral rites were conducted at Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland, preceded by the Alpha Omega Service under the direction of the local Chapter. Surviving are his wife, Clara; two daughters, Clara Ruth and Mrs. Dolores Best; sons Hatcher, Jr. and Jasper W.; three grandchildren; and a brother and a sister. Brother JOHN EDWARD DILLARD entered Omega Chapter June 26,1977 in Denver, Colorado — following a short illness. Brother Dillard was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee May 18, 1928, graduated from Stephen Lee High School in Asheville, North Carolina, attended Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia, and received his Baccalaureate Degree at Colorado University, Denver, Colorado. Brother Dillard was active in many civic organizations — state and local — he was an active member of Delta Psi Lambda Chapter, a Life Member — and an active member of Scott United Methodist Church. It is to be noted that Delta Psi Lambda chapter has sustained an unusual amount of losses by death of active and outstanding brothers, and it is indeed regrettable. Contributions of one brother as against the contributions of another is repugnant to the traditions of Alpha — inasmuch as ALL of our brothers are OUTSTANDING, otherwise they would not be members of this Fraternity. Brother ERNEST ADDISON GREENE entered Omega Chapter August 3,1977 in Chicago, Illinois. Brother Greene was an active member of Xi Lambda Chapter, and a member of the prestigious law firm, Brown, Brown and Cyrus for many years. Brother Greene.was born in Rome, Georgia November 21, 1901, The Sphinx / October 1977