Graveside services for James Ray Buie, Jr. of Diana will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 3 at Ashland Community Cemetery. The family will receive friends for visitation 6-8 p.m., Thursday, July 2 at the home of James and Debra Buie.

He was born June 5, 1954, to James Ray Buie, Sr. and Dorothy Hawkins Buie and left this world smoking tires on June 27, 2026, at the age of 72.

Recently described by a friend as “unapologetically himself”, my father, James, lived life with confidence and resolve—meticulous by nature, fiery in his opinions, and kind when it counted most.

Affectionately known as Ray, to distinguish him from his father, then later, going by James when he entered the working world, he used this as a factor in identifying people (names he had forgotten) stopping him in Walmart to chat. He was raised with God and hard work. Helping his parents manage life and a ranch--his father in a wheelchair, paralyzed by polio when Ray was two years old.

He was fond of his school years at New Diana ISD; especially his time spent in FFA—serving as President of the chapter and receiving his American Farmer Degree. After graduation, he attended Kilgore College then East Texas State University in Commerce. Summers, he worked at Lone Star Steel—a fact of which he was vehemently proud. Surprising he is alive after describing the working environment and duties they were willing to let an eighteen-year-old handle. Of course, Nixon was just signing off on something called OSHA at the time.

In the fall of 1977, James Buie went to a Gladewater ISD football game for mandatory responsibilities per his teaching position—those who truly know him understand he would never have been there otherwise. That night James met Debra Pate and six months later married her at a whirlwind ceremony in the basement of the Gregg County Courthouse. A story he would tell for the next forty-eight years, especially the low price of $20.00.

Those years of marriage included a lovely daughter, apple of his eye—according to comments gathered by this writer. Or at least, she was the apple of this eye until his feisty little grandson came along.

He retired on year twenty-nine of his career as middle school shop teacher and traveled all over the United States delivering feeders for Outback Wildlife Feeders. He gradually slowed down his trucking life—devoting himself as full-time hobbyist and rancher.

I could write for days (and some may feel I have) on the hobbies and dreams my dad realized in his lifetime—cattleman, trucker, US traveler, Bandit Runner, Sirius-XM “The Bridge” listener, model train aficionado, nostalgia collector, harmonica player (for about a week), film cameo star (HBO Max Original Caddo Lake), beach bum, and the list could go on.

Calling him an avid car enthusiast is an understatement. For my dad, cars aren't just machines; they hold his memories- every car is a scrapbook of his past, holding the people, places, and moments that shaped him.

I don’t want to stop writing b/c that seems like the end, but I know it isn’t. Above all, he was a husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend. So many memories will stay with me forever, but one is in my mind – August 2021- we took an early morning walk on Panama City Beach – father and daughter, chatting, laughing, and searching for seashells. When I get to heaven, I will get another squeezy hug and resume that walk together--taking Granddaddy Buie with us.

Love you very much, Pop.

His legacy remains with his wife, Debra Pate Buie; daughter, Joni Lynn Buie Desilets; son-in-law Jason Earl Desilets; beloved grandson and namesake, Joseph James Desilets; mother, Dorothy Buie; brother, Spike Buie, brothers-in-law, Randy (Denise) and Alan (Donna) Pate, and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great nephews.

He is preceded in death by his father, James Ray Buie, Sr.