Jack Boyd Buckley
Encyclopedia
Jack Boyd Buckley was a civil engineer
and building consultant based in Houston, Texas
. He played a major role in the construction of numerous high-rise buildings and amusement parks throughout the world, including Pennzoil Place
and Greenway Plaza
in Houston, and was involved in the design of the air conditioning
system of the Astrodome. His son, James Sartwelle Buckley, said that his father had a role in the mechanical design of 11 of the 100 tallest buildings in the world, and 25 percent of the tallest buildings in the United States
. In addition to air conditioning, Buckley's expertise was in electrical systems. Buckley also helped to write many national engineering standards and building codes and served accordingly as chairman of the Houston General Appeals Board and the Engineer's Council of Houston.
V5 Flight Program. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in California
on June 14, 1946. He returned to Rice University
in Houston where in June 1948, he graduated with a bachelor of science
degree in civil engineering.
On January 18, 1952, Buckley married his wife of fifty-five years, the former Helen Charlotte Sartwelle at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston. Helen was born in 1922 in Palacios
in Matagorda County, the daughter of James Williams Sartwelle (1887-1965) of Dallas
and the former Lura Charlotte Arnold (1897-1970), originally from Pittsburg, Kansas
. She also graduated from Rice—in the class of 1944. The Buckleys made their home in Houston and had four children.
Buckley was employed for some fifty-five years in different facets of engineering, including contracting, equipment sales, and project design. For most of his career, Buckley was affiliated with I.A. Naman & Associates but worked briefly for W.L. Lashley & Associates in engineered equipment sales. After his retirement from Naman, Buckley launched his own firm, Buckley Consultants, where he spent some twelve years advising owners on their building projects.
Buckley was also a philanthropist
who gave generously to Cal Farley Boys Ranch near Tascosa
in Oldham County in the Texas Panhandle
northwest of Amarillo
as well as his church, the Ascension Episcopal Church, Rice University, and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, all in Houston. He supported Rice athletics with scholarship
s for two players. He also provided scholarships to junior engineering students at Rice and to theological
students at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
in Ambridge, Pennsylvania
, and Dallas Theological Seminary
in Dallas
.
In addition to his wife and son James, Buckley had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Buckley Till; two sons, Dr. Steven Boyd Buckley and his wife, Siobhain Anders, of San Antonio
, and William Henry Buckley of Houston; James' wife, Deborah Murphy; a sister, Carol Jean, and brother-in-law, Ronald Brown, of Fort Wayne; seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Buckley was interred at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery
, 12800 Westheimer Road, in Houston prior to a memorial service at Ascension Episcopal Church.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and building consultant based in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He played a major role in the construction of numerous high-rise buildings and amusement parks throughout the world, including Pennzoil Place
Pennzoil Place
Pennzoil Place is a set of two 36-story towers in downtown Houston, Texas, United States. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee and built in 1975, Pennzoil Place is Houston's most award-winning skyscraper and is widely known for its innovative design....
and Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza is a master-planned mixed-use development off U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, United States, five miles west of Downtown Houston and three miles east of Uptown Houston. Greenway Plaza is Houston's first totally planned business-commercial-residential complex developed by the...
in Houston, and was involved in the design of the air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
system of the Astrodome. His son, James Sartwelle Buckley, said that his father had a role in the mechanical design of 11 of the 100 tallest buildings in the world, and 25 percent of the tallest buildings in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In addition to air conditioning, Buckley's expertise was in electrical systems. Buckley also helped to write many national engineering standards and building codes and served accordingly as chairman of the Houston General Appeals Board and the Engineer's Council of Houston.
Life
Buckley was the older of two children born to Chauncey Jason Buckley and the former Ruth Wilkens Boyd in Fort Wayne, Indiana, graduating from Central High School. He completed his studies early so that he could enlist on December 7, 1943, in the United States Navy ReserveUnited States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
V5 Flight Program. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on June 14, 1946. He returned to Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston where in June 1948, he graduated with a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in civil engineering.
On January 18, 1952, Buckley married his wife of fifty-five years, the former Helen Charlotte Sartwelle at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston. Helen was born in 1922 in Palacios
Palacios, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,153 people, 1,661 households, and 1,244 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.4 people per square mile . There were 1,976 housing units at an average density of 391.7 per square mile...
in Matagorda County, the daughter of James Williams Sartwelle (1887-1965) of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and the former Lura Charlotte Arnold (1897-1970), originally from Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
. She also graduated from Rice—in the class of 1944. The Buckleys made their home in Houston and had four children.
Buckley was employed for some fifty-five years in different facets of engineering, including contracting, equipment sales, and project design. For most of his career, Buckley was affiliated with I.A. Naman & Associates but worked briefly for W.L. Lashley & Associates in engineered equipment sales. After his retirement from Naman, Buckley launched his own firm, Buckley Consultants, where he spent some twelve years advising owners on their building projects.
Buckley was also a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who gave generously to Cal Farley Boys Ranch near Tascosa
Tascosa, Texas
Tascosa was once the capital of ten counties and a rival of Dodge City, but it is now a Ghost Town. It is located in Oldham County in the Texas Panhandle....
in Oldham County in the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
northwest of Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
as well as his church, the Ascension Episcopal Church, Rice University, and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, all in Houston. He supported Rice athletics with scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s for two players. He also provided scholarships to junior engineering students at Rice and to theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
students at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
Trinity School for Ministry is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition, located in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh...
in Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County in Western Pennsylvania, incorporated in 1905 and named after the American Bridge Company. Ambridge is located 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, alongside the Ohio River. In 1910, 5,205 people lived in Ambridge; in 1920, 12,730 people lived there, and in...
, and Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system known as Dispensationalism...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
In addition to his wife and son James, Buckley had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Buckley Till; two sons, Dr. Steven Boyd Buckley and his wife, Siobhain Anders, of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and William Henry Buckley of Houston; James' wife, Deborah Murphy; a sister, Carol Jean, and brother-in-law, Ronald Brown, of Fort Wayne; seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Buckley was interred at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
, 12800 Westheimer Road, in Houston prior to a memorial service at Ascension Episcopal Church.