We Remember
BUCHECKER, Robert Leslie
December 22, 1930 — March 31, 2025
Robert “Bob” Buchecker, age 94, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2025, in Kelowna, BC, with his loving wife Marie by his side.
Bob was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, on December 22, 1930. He completed all his schooling in Broken Hill, where he excelled in all subjects. Bob attended the Broken Hill Technical College, where he apprenticed in the trade of Fitter/Turner (Millwright), and received the Gold Medallion for his excellent academics and tradesmanship. Bob was well known for his conscientiousness, willingness to take on the most demanding of jobs, and complete them with precise skill.
Bob always enjoyed travelling and adventure. It was on one of his travel cruises, he met Marie, and they were married in Sydney, Australia, in 1962. Both their senses of adventure took over, and in 1970, Bob and Marie immigrated to Canada, first living in Prince Rupert, BC, and then in Hinton, Alberta, in 1972. Bob was a skilled millwright in the Hinton Pulp and Paper Mill until he retired in 1991, at which point they moved to Kelowna, BC.
While Bob remained a very proud “Aussie”, he embraced the lifestyle of Western Canada; he loved the natural beauty of the mountains, lakes, rivers and the snow! Throughout his life, Bob travelled in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, England, Mexico, United States and Canada; he was an avid photographer and chronicled all of these travels meticulously. Bob enjoyed gardening, particularly in his tiered garden at their Magic Estates home in Kelowna. Bob had a lifelong love of trains and locomotives, beginning with his first tradesman job in Broken Hill, Australia. This love of trains and railways extended into his retirement as Bob was one of the original members of the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, who, beginning in 1993, restored the 18 original train trestles of Myra Canyon, and then re-built many of the trestles after the 2003 wildfire ripped through Myra Canyon. In his retirement in Kelowna, Bob took many courses in woodworking and carving; his lifelong meticulousness, trade skills, visual perceptual abilities, and natural artistic eye enabled him to produce the most beautiful wood carvings, which are treasured by many of his friends and family. Throughout his life, and wherever Bob went, he enjoyed meeting people; he so enjoyed hearing about their lives, and always had stories to share with those he spoke to as well.
Bob will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by Marie, his wife of 62 years; his sister, Barbara Heylen of Adelaide, Australia; his sister-in-law, Jenny Langley (Joe) of Noosa Heads, Australia; as well as many nieces and nephews and their families, all in Australia, and many friends in Kelowna and other communities in British Columbia and Alberta.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, in Robert’s name.
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Heart and Stroke Foundation Link: www.heartandstroke.ca
Condolences
So terribly sorry for your loss, Marie I remember Robert very well.
Dear Marie,
We were so sorry to hear that Bob passed away. Harold and I had so many great times with both of you over the past 45+ years. As a stamp collector, Bob spent time teaching 2 of our children how to organize and mount stamps. Our family was also the recipient of several of Bob’s wood carvings, which we cherish. After first meeting while worshiping and serving together at Grace Lutheran church, Hinton, AB, we enjoyed many visits, meals, excursions and picnics with both of you in Hinton, High River, St. Albert and Kelowna. Bob will be missed!
Sharon and Harold Schmidt