Ted Clark Buckley passed away in Panama City, Florida, on June 15, 2021. He was born on Dec. 5, 1936, in Prentiss, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his wife Hazel Buckley and his parents, Edwin Truett and Jessie Rue Buckley. Ted, a native of Prentiss, Mississippi, earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and physics from Mississippi College in 1958 where he ranked 15 in a class of 322 and graduated with special distinction.  In 1962, he earned his master’s degree from Mississippi State University.

Ted began his career with the Naval Coastal Systems Center in February 1963, and advanced rapidly to lead a team of analysts conducting studies and analyses of operational situations for determining future Navy and Marine Corps systems development. In 1975, he was appointed to head the Analysis and Intelligence office. In that position he was a driving force in a CNO-directed study that eventually brought new mine countermeasures ships and hardware into the fleet. In 1982, Ted was appointed Associate Technical Director for amphibious warfare.   He authored and co-authored technical reports, Chief of Naval Operations study reports and naval development concept papers. In 1989, he was selected for the Technical Director post at the Naval Coastal Systems Center. He served at that post until his retirement in 1995 after 32 years of service. His entire civil “life” was at the Coastal Systems Station with the exception of one year spent at the Institute of Defense Analysis in Washington, D.C. and a stint as Science Advisor to the Norfolk, Virginia, station.

In 1994, then President William Clinton signed a declaration conferring upon Ted the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service for Sustained Superior Accomplishment in Management of Programs of the United States Government, one of the highest civil honors given to a person in service to our country.

Ted was a member of the Emerald Coast Fellowship Baptist Church in Lynn Haven, Florida.  He was an avid and excellent golfer. He gave generously to organizations and of the two mentioned below.  He will be so missed by all who knew him.

Ted leaves behind his two daughters, Carol Still Moody of Plant City, Florida and Pat Still Coryell of Tallahassee, Florida; sister, Mae Beth Tracy Spruill, nephew, William J (Joey) Tracy Jr., and niece, Lisbeth Nicole Tracy, all of Long Beach;  four grandchildren, Ashley Moody, Tampa, Florida, Jamey Moody and Patricia Moody, both of Plant City, Florida, and Jessica Coryell Spurlock of Fairfax Station, Virginia; eight great grandchildren and companion, Suzanne Dozier of Panama City Beach, Florida.

Special thanks to Leon Walters, a good friend who visited many times while Ted was hospitalized.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Baptist Children’s Village, 1114 Market Ridge Drive, Ridgeland, MS  39157 or to the Boys Town, 200 Flanagan Blvd., P.O. Box 6000, Boys Town, NE  68010-9988

Services were held on Monday, June 21, 2021, at the Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home where visitation was held at 10 a.m. and the service at 11 a.m.