Rest in Peace Model-T (#2)

[hopalong2]

My dad, Tom Buckley, aka Model-T, passed away early morning yesterday (4am 4/11/11) 235 miles into his NOBO thru hike. He died in his sleep in his tent at Davenport Gap. He was 70 years young. This was his first thru hike.
My dad loved to hike but the number one thing he spoke of about his journey on the AT was the camaraderie. I want to thank you all that had the chance to share your kindness and stories with him on the trail. Hiking AT was a lifelong dream of his and I know he was having the time of his life.
He is survived by his loving wife Mary Ann (Silver City, NM), daughters Susan(Austin, Tx), Ellie (San Mateo, CA), Kay (San Antonio Tx), Bonnie (Austin, Tx) and brother David (Tampa Bay, FL).
Keep on trekking Dad.

[Rocket Jones]

My condolences to you and the entire family.

[kanga]

prayers for comfort for your family. i know it's hard. i'm glad he was where he wanted to be when he passed.

[royalusa]

So very sad. I'm sorry for your loss. He went the way many of us hikers would like to go.

[Spiffy]

I'm sorry for your loss. May you and your family find peace and comfort in this difficult time.

[Creek Dancer]

I am so very sorry for your loss.

[Rockhound]

Sorry for your loss. I hope being able to die doing what he loved offers some consolation. Seems to be a rough year. This is the 3rd death I'm aware of on the AT since Feb.

[Buffalo Skipper]

My family's thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

[Red Wolf]

Sincere condolences to you and your family.
He was doing what he enjoyed. My old friend, Nimblewill Nomad wrote in one of his poems:

"I'll roam these hills and mountain sides, until that bye and bye,
That perfect day, when packs take wing,
And the treadway climbs the sky" !

All us hikers can ask for not another better passing.

Rest Eternal grant unto him Good Lord,
and may Light Perpetual shine upon him.

Red Wolf o'da Smoky's

[Mr. Carter]

Sorry to hear about your loss, my regards to the family. I am assuming it was natural causes?

[royalusa]

Loved his TJ... (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=335459)

His humor: "Plan to UPS my gear to Amicalola in advance, then perhaps fly naked to ATL to avoid the TSA patdown. (I'm still thinking that one through a bit, however.) "

His honesty and great way with words: "I stand, however, to set a new standard for spontaneity if I don't wrap up the AT prep phase... I am amazed but shamed by the meticulous planning of many of my prospective trailmates -- down to the measured and recorded daily intake of sodium chloride. Unfortunately my left hemisphere is not quite that facile, but I WILL be ready!"

As your daughter says, Model T, keep on trekking!

[Tipi Walter]

I am so sorry to hear of his passing.

[paistes5]

Very sorry for your loss.

[RETCW4]

Sorry to here about your loss. It sounded like he was doing what he loved.

[Tenderheart]

I am truly sorry. My pa-in-law dropped dead looking for his bull in the pasture. He was doing what he loved most, as was Model-T.

litefoot 2000

[CrumbSnatcher]

God speed Model-T
i also lost my mother last night(04-11-11), i hope she no longer feels the pain and i hope she's with my dad. i love you mom

[tiptoe]

I, too, want to offer my condolences to you and your family.

[nate481]

My deepest condolences to you and all of Model T's friends and family. I had the pleasure to meet and stay in some of the same shelters with him through the Smokies. He truly loved being on the trail.

I stayed in the shelter with him on the night of his passing. In the morning everyone had left the shelter except for me and 2 other people. We were surprised Model-T was still in bed because he was hiking 15 + mile days in the Smokies. We decided to try to wake him when we discovered he had passed away. He went peacefully in his sleep.
The night before he was joking around and having a good time. So it came as quite a shock to us.

While I don't have any personally, some people have pictures of Model-T enjoying the trail. If you would like copies of any of these you could email me your address or email at [email protected] and I could pass it along.

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

[RITBlake]

The last line of his last journal entry is a fitting one: "Doing great...rested, clean, fed, watered and ready to hike!"

Many of us would consider him lucky to go in the way he did. RIP.

[royalusa]

And a very nice comment about your Dad on Snake Hip's Journal dated 4/11/11 (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=11900 ):

"Thanks to Doodah Man, Model T, Art, Elizabeth, Lois, and everyone else for their support and kind thoughts. .... Model T, we look forward to seeing you again soon but your lively step is hard to match."