Donald Ray "Duck" Buckner, 77, of Etowah, passed away, Friday, February 21, 2014 at Parkwest Medical Center, Knoxville, TN. He was a native of McMinn County, a son of the late Robert Charles and Alice Watson Buckner and a member of Local #43 Plumbers and Steamfitters Chattanooga. He was preceded in death by his parents, listed above; brothers and sisters, Pauline Choat, Raymond Buckner, Curtis Buckner, and Mildred McCaslin; and daughter and son-in-law, Sherry and Jim Godsey.

Survivors include his wife, Lou Ann Rogers Buckner of Etowah; children and spouses, Debbie and Steve Patterson of Chattanooga, Janet and Frank Lee of Reliance, and Karen and Tony Barnett of Englewood; grandchildren, Heather Lee Reese, Adam Lee, Tyler Patterson, Andrew Patterson, Barrett Barnett, Shelby Barnett, Tara Godsey Pulliam, and Jay Godsey; brothers and sisters, Nina Croft, Wanda Starkey, Shirley Moore, Joyce Stewart, and Bobby Buckner; 10 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews

Funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, February 23, 2014 in the South Chapel of Bordwine Funeral Home with Rev. B.J. Wall and Tyler Patterson officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday prior to the service. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 24th and proceed to McMinn Memory Gardens for the 11:00 a.m., committal service. Adam Lee, Tyler Patterson, Andrew Patterson, Barrett Barnett, Chad Reese and Heath Pulliam will serve as pallbearers. Tony Underwood and Michael Buckner will serve as honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in honor of Donald "Poppie" Buckner to help fund his grandson's wife's double lung transplant. Contributions may be made to Helping Hands Ministries with Ashleigh Patterson Medical Project: P.O. Box 337, Tallulah Falls, GA 30573 (www.hhmin.org)