Barbara Elaine Buckman, age 75, of Riverdale, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, March 24, 2018.

Barbara was born in Jersey City and raised in Union City. After graduating from Emerson High School with the Class of 1959, she went to work as a secretary in New York City, first for Standard Brands and later for Continental Can.

Barbara met the love of her life, George Buckman one night at a bowling alley. She was bowling in a league with her friend Karen and, a few lanes over, Karen’s boyfriend Ray was bowling with George. Unbeknownst to Barbara, George couldn’t help but notice Barbara in her ice blue blouse, black skirt, and pendant necklace. Truth be told, he was also captivated by her beautiful legs. One could say that George was “bowled over” by Barbara’s beauty! The next week when it was bowling league night again, George mustered up the courage to ask Barbara out for a date. They saw a movie at the Lowes Theater in Jersey City. Things went well that night and, after a long time of seeing each other, one night, while sitting in his 59 Chevy, George asked Barbara for her hand in marriage. They exchanged their vows before God, family and friends on Saturday April 18, 1964 at the Bethany Lutheran Church in North Bergen. The wedding ceremony got off to a late start because Barbara’s limousine didn’t show up on time. To George though, waiting for his bride was worth it.

Barbara and George’s first house was in North Bergen. Then, in 1968, they moved to Lincoln Park, then to Pompton Lakes where they enjoyed forty years before moving to Riverdale in 2012.

Barbara worked part time in various secretarial positions and lovingly poured herself into bringing up her two daughters, Kim and Michele. When the girls were involved in Girl Scout activities, Barbara served as one of their Girl Scout Leaders. She also was one of their best cheerleaders at all of their high school sporting events at Pompton Lakes High School.

Barbara was the type of gal that was hard to keep down. She was always pursuing different experiences and she definitely possessed the spirited energy required to accomplish all she found interest in. She continued her work as a secretary for a local attorney in Pequannock for many years and, when she wasn’t working, it seemed that Barbara was always volunteering for various organizations. She had a real heart for the plight of others which prompted her with the desire to volunteer with organizations such as the Domestic Response Unit – an organization that allowed her to provide resources and advise to battered spouses. She also liked volunteering at the Dial-a-Ride Call Center where she was tasked with the responsibility of setting up rides for the disabled and elderly, and she was a longtime member of both the Pompton Lakes Women’s Club and the Riverdale Seniors.

Barbara’s faith in God was a very integral part of her life. She was a long-time member of Pompton Reformed Church in Pompton Lakes where, here too, she was always rolling up her sleeves to help. She served on the church’s fellowship committee and for Family Promise – an organization where she helped to provide meals, accommodations and even entertainment for folks who were in transition.

Barbara was very sociable. She had a lot of fun getting together with her girlfriends taking in a game of golf, mostly at the Sunset Valley Golf Course in Pequannock, or sometimes taking a weekend to compete in a weekend tourney at the Shawnee Golf Resort in Pennsylvania. She and the girls would also get together for a game of bridge and most recently she was into a game called Mah Jong which she regularly played at the Pompton Lakes Library. When she needed a little time alone, frequent long walks brought a great sense of revitalization.

Next to her faith, nothing was more important to Barbara than her love and devotion to her family. In the early years when her girls were young, the family made a tradition of renting a house and staying for a week down the Jersey Shore in Lavallette. When the golden years arrived, there was no better travel partner than her beloved George. The two of them enjoyed the blessing of travel and being together for trips all over the U.S. and abroad including many national parks in the west, a trip to Alaska, countless Caribbean cruises, a European cruise down the Rhine River, and trips to Ireland and even the Holy Land in Israel. Barbara love for her grandchildren was equal to her love for her own children. She had the distinct pleasure of having her oldest grandson, Gregory, live with her and George for the first five years of his life.  She and George never missed a Grandparent’s Day at school or any of their concerts, plays or sporting events. They were always there for the kids and never even had to be informed of their upcoming events. Somehow they always seemed to just know what was going on in their lives. The grandkids also enjoyed the blessings of traveling with Grandma and Grandpa and everyone had a great time on a cruise celebrating Barbara and George’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Barbara will be greatly missed by George, the girls, her grandchildren, and siblings, her church family, and all of her friends from all walks of her life. Her energetic, selfless, loving presence was truly a great blessing. Rest in God’s peace Barbara!

Barbara was the beloved wife of George, to whom she was married for just shy of 54 years. She was the loving mother of Kim and husband Harry Hollar of Oak Ridge, and Michele and husband Joe Almeida of Pompton Lakes; adored grandmother of Gregory, Kaitlyn, Ryan, and Jared; and dear sister of Robert and wife Jane Holtje of Lewisville, NC, and Kenneth and wife Kathy Holtje of Punta Gorda, FL.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Barbara’s name are asked to consider the Pompton Reformed Church Building Improvement Fund, 59 Hamburg Turnpike, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.