Clinton Lorenzo Buckmaster

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Friday, 15 March 2013 11:23

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Clinton Lorenzo Buckmaster, longtime Sitka resident and Alaska pioneer, died in Sitka March 4, at the age of 83.
    At his request, no services will be held.
    Clint was born Jan. 5, 1930, in Tacoma, Wash., to Lewis Buckmaster and Vivien Borden Buckmaster.
    He spent his early life in Washington state, there beginning his long love affair with the woods and wilds of the Pacific Northwest. He worked in the national parks, where his father was a ranger.
    He attended grade school in Washington, and spent the first two years of high school in Ketchikan, where he had moved with his father. He finished high school at Bellermine Prep in Tacoma.
    In 1951, Clint and Dorothy Toynbee were married in Puyallup, Wash. They had three children, Christine, Ted and Tim. They later divorced, and Clint moved to Alaska permanently in 1958.
    Clint and Mary Jerger were married, and Clint adopted Mary’s daughter, Joyce “Jody” Jerger. They divorced in 1970.
    Clint and Linda Waller were together for a number of years and fished for, bought and packed fish, first on the Lena L. then on the Traci C., mostly in Sitka and Port Alexander, but in other areas of Southeast Alaska as well.
    In 2000, Clint married Crystal Kristovich in New Zealand.
    One or another facet of the fishing industry held Clint’s interest and kept him busy for most of his working career, but he also worked for the U.S. Forest Service and was involved with the building of many of the remote Forest Service cabins.
    Clint dearly loved the channels, bays and open water of Southeast Aalska, and was never happier than when dangling a line into a trout stream or lake. He put in many miles tramping around the wilderness, hunting or just checking to see what was over the next ridge.
    The Sitka JayCees recognized  Clint as their Man of the Year in 1962 for his work with the two bloodhounds of Sitka Search and Rescue. Clint was caretaker of, and worked with, the hounds, being involved in several rescues around  Southeast.
    Gov. Jay Hammond appointed Clint to the Alaska Board of Fish and Game in 1976, and he served until 1982, including two years as chairman of the Board of Game after the board was split into two separate boards.
    Clint is survived by his loving wife, Crystal Kristovich Buckmaster of Sitka, and her many relatives around the state; and his children, Christine Rogers of Puyallup, Ted and Nancy Buckmaster of Sitka, Timothy and Stacey Buckmaster of Graham, Wash., and Joyce “Jody” Jerger of Dallas, Ore.
    Also surviving are his dearly loved aunt, Norma Malpus of Sitka; cousins Kenny and Jill Malpus of California, Charlotte and Craig Mitchell of Anchorage, Jeff and Patty  Giefer of Springdale, Wash., and Dan and Katie Giefer of Maple Valley, Wash.
    He also is survived by five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Linda Waller, Kaye Dethridge and Irene Shuler, who with his son Ted, were present at his passing; and many other dear friends also survive him.
    Anyone who feels the need to give a message to Clint can look toward Camel Back Mountain; he’ll hear you.

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