John C. 'Jack' Buker, 86

John C. "Jack" Buker, 86, passed away on Monday, July 11, 2005, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Private family services have been held.

John was born Aug. 9, 1918, in Portland, Ore., the son of Karl and May (Eulrich) Buker. He grew up in Portland and graduated high school in Portland. He attended college at Stanford University with a law degree.

He married Betty Finley on July 24, 1941, in San Francisco, Calif.

John enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, and was stationed in Italy during World War II. He served as captain on a B-24, flying 48 missions over Europe. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Flying Cross and the French Legion of Merit medals.

Following the war, he worked for Botsford and Gardener in Honolulu, Hawaii, as a marketing executive and Capitol Investments of Hawaii. He later served as vice president of marketing for Diamond International in San Francisco, Calif., retiring in 1976. In retirement, he worked for Dean Witter Investments as a vice president.

John's hobbies included flying, oil painting, travel writing, family and friends.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

He is survived by a son, Robert Sherman Buker of West Virginia; daughters, Kimberly Ray Chansler of Los Altos Hills, Calif., Elizabeth Peale Best of Sandpoint and Maile Eulrich Baker of Park City, Utah; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Betty.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.