1933 - 2026
Born in 1933 in South Boston, James was the son of the late James J. Buckley Sr. and Josephine M. (Cappuccito) Buckley. He was also predeceased by his brother, Francis Buckley, and his son, Christopher Buckley.
James is survived by his children, Christina, Tim, Jamie, Sandee, and Melissa; 24 grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two nieces and nephews; and his former wife, Sandra.
A lifelong advocate for education, James entered Boston College at just 17 years old, earning his undergraduate degree in Education. He later received a master's degree from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in Education from Harvard University.
He began his career teaching in the Boston Public Schools in 1955 before moving into educational leadership. James served as Superintendent of the Milford Public Schools for 11 years before becoming Superintendent of Schools for the City of Peabody, where he served for 13 years.
A devoted Catholic, James was a longtime parishioner of St. Mary of the Assumption Church, where he faithfully served as a lector, Eucharistic minister, and cantor.
James also possessed a deep passion for local history and writing. He authored more than 1,000 newspaper articles and wrote a book chronicling the history of Milford, preserving the community's rich heritage for future generations.
Beyond education and history, James loved the arts. He appeared in and directed numerous community theater productions and, in retirement, enjoyed playing bridge at local senior centers several times each week while also giving presentations on local history and opera. He rarely started a morning without completing a crossword puzzle over breakfast and was well known for always having a classic dad joke ready to share.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, July 9th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Buma-Sargeant Funeral Home, located at 42 Congress Street in Milford.
Additional visiting hours will be held on Friday, July 10th, from 8:15 to 9:15 AM at the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, located at 17 Winter Street in Milford.
Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery on Cedar Street.
