Centenarian Walter D. “Buck” Bursey (100) was born on November 28, 1919, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, to Walter C. and Lissie “Millie” (Short) Bursey. The family eventually moved to California, where they farmed in the Reedley area. He graduated from Reedley High School in 1939.
Buck enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. They sent him for training to the Henry Ford School for diesel mechanics, welding, fabrication. Upon completion of the program, Henry Ford handed Buck his certificate and shook his hand. Buck served in the Pacific Theater on LST 803. After the war, he returned to Reedley and worked for Arakelian Farms as a shop manager, later taking a promotion in 1947 to farm Foreman for Arakelian Farms (Mission Bell Winery) in Madera.
There Buck met the love of his life, Irene Rose Polloni. They married on November 3, 1949, and Buck went to work for Emerzian Ranch as a ranch Foreman. Except for a brief stint in Fresno running a service station, Buck and Irene made their home and raised their family in Madera. They had a wide circle of friends whom they spent many wonderful times getting together, playing cards, and having dinner.
They were very involved in community service; Buck was a VFW Post 1981 life member, board of trustee for Alpha Grammar School, a founding member of the Century Club for the American Cancer Society, a charter member of MAYA (Madera Agricultural Youth Association), and was a member of Flying Farmers. Buck and Irene enjoyed trips to San Francisco, Monterey, and Santa Cruz. However, it was his first glimpse of the morning sun shining on the Parthenon in Greece that sparked his travel bug, and he never looked back. Over the years, Buck and Irene traveled to six continents and countless countries, Turkey is one of his favorites. They liked to say, “We did it all TOGETHER.”
In 1956 Buck partnered with Ann Mott in the W.H. Mott Company, which he operated, and later owned, for over 25 years. During those years, he gradually purchased acreage, eventually farming full time after he sold the Mott Company.
Buck enjoyed his social routines. From the Fruit Basket to Perko’s, he spent his mornings solving the world’s problems over breakfast with his great many friends. Saturdays were his “power luncheons” at Farnesi’s (wine included!), and of course, each week he went to dinner with his longtime friend Albert Cosyns and, in recent years, his companion Norma Prosperi.
Buck is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years Irene, sister, Edna Cummings, grandson Neal Bursey, great-granddaughter Ashley Bursey, daughter-in-law Clovis Bursey, and brother-in-law Mike Sutters. He is survived by his son Eddie by his first wife Betty, and Gary (Shelley), Karan (Gary) Long, and Tom (Jennifer) by his wife Irene, 7 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.
Our family would like to thank Betty, Laura, Ariel, Lisa, and Martha for all the loving care they gave Dad these past few months. We are so appreciative of the many visitors and well-wishers who came to see Dad. We ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Valley Children’s Hospital or to your favorite charity.
