Mrs. Everner Ree Buck

Obituary “Oh Lord, my God! When I, in awesome wonder- Consider all the world thy hands hath made…” How do you measure the life of a woman? Do you measure it in deeds? Do you measure it in notoriety? Do you measure it in wealth? Or do you measure it by considering ALL in the world her hands hath made? The lyrics of “How Great Thou Art” epitomize the life of Mrs. Everner Ree Buck. A life lived in humility and awesome wonder of the greatness of God. Everner Ree Buck was the 7th of 11 children born to the union of Margo Hall and Zarah Powell Hall on February 5, 1922 in Prentiss, Mississippi. Everner and her sibling accepted Christ at an early age. She was the first to go to the holiness church under the leadership of reverend Richardson who was Martha hall’s father. Her father Margo was the head Deacon in the Baptist Church but it was her visit to the holiness church when she was 12 years old where Everner received the Holy Ghost. One night she was at home with her siblings they were washing their feet and Mother Buck stated, “these are holy feet”. At the age of 13, Everner joined Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God and Christ (Triumph Church”). Everner acquired her love for music from her father, Margo. By Everner’s account, her father was literate – he could read books and music. These skills were passed on to his children. Everner had an exceptional gift for reading and performing music. In a 2007 interview, Everner said, “If I could live any dream I ever had, it would be to go to college and major in music. I would have loved to learn to play the piano, just so I could accompany myself when I sang.” Indeed, she sang…always in perfect pitch. Everner sang with the sophistication of Marian Anderson and the rawness of Mahalia Jackson. Her renditions of hymns and contemporary gospel moved and soothed the souls in churches all over the nation. In 1941, Everner married Roland Buck, Sr. they were happily married and devoted to each other for 54 years. Roland and Everner moved to Milwaukee, WI in 1946. From their union they were blessed with 10 children. The Buck family was the first of Everner’s siblings to move to Milwaukee and the first to purchase a home. Not one to have idle hands, Everner worked outside of the home for Saint Anthony Hospital, the Milwaukee County Mental health Complex and Milwaukee County Parks System. She said, “Buck (referring to her husband) bought a nice house and I intended to make it a home worth living in!” Never in short supply of hospitality, guests at the Buck family home dined on the best cuisine served on fine China and crystal glassware placed on intricate patterns of fine linens. One of the first items on Everner’s to do list after moving to Milwaukee was to find a Triumph Church. She frequently visited Church of God in Christ and other holiness congregations and later met Mother Hattie ones who had Triumphants services in her home. Eventually, they would have church in each other’s home along with her sister in law Martha Hall. During their church visits Martha would lovingly correct the congregations by informing them, “We are Triumphant, we are not your members, we’re just here visiting,” and every church would kick them out because of their honesty. Mother Buck was determined to have a permanent place to worship. Her siblings had relocated to Milwaukee and together they were adamant about having a church home, so she asked Bishop D.H. Harris to send her a Shepherd and in reponse to her request they sent L.S. Murray and she began her search for a permanent church location. In the search for the perfect church location she stumbled upon 2200 North 6th, the old Henry Muegge Ba10 kery. She requested a down payment from the church and they began their first service with “dough” still on the floor. The success of the church and energy from the innovative Everner and the congregation sparked the interest of Bishop Harris, which prompted him to visit. He was so amazed by this young woman’s tenacity and unwavering commitment to Triumph he never realized how young she was. He told her, “If I knew you were this young I would have never given her that kind of money.” It was in Triumph that Everner began her lifelong work as a missionary, church mother, and national church officer. As a young woman, Everner was instrumental to Triumph Church’s promotion of women to leadership positions. She petitioned the Bishops Counsel to install her sister, the late Reverend Gertrude H. Easterling, among the first of female pastors in the Triumph Church system. At the request of Rev. Easterling, Everner chaired the fundraising committee and realized Rev. Easterling’s dream of designing and building a new church. In 1980, Triumph Church opened the doors of its brand new facility. Its first event open to the public was “An Evening with Everner Buck.” Everner hosted a fundraiser, performing in concert to a packed house with standing room only. Accompanied by a band and background singers comprised of her children, Everner dressed in gowns and jewels that rivaled any modern day movie star. She sang her heart out and did not disappoint. Under her supervision of events like this, the mortgage for the new building was paid off in record time. This building still stands on Milwaukee’s north side on North 6th Street and Garfield Avenue. Everner continued to be a faithful and loyal servant to her church and served on the mother board in various positions: the local church treasurer, Shepherd Mother, County Mother, State Mother and Honorary National Mother. She was dedicated to her jobs and once mentioned that because she was often always working, she couldn’t come to all the services, but after retiring she never missed a service. Through her illness she never neglected the time for church and was instrumental in organizing the annual salad fest, annual tea, concerts and the VIP breakfast which was her newest project in honor of her son becoming Shepherd. The proudest moment in her “Triumphant” life was her son’s elevation to Apostle. “God likes it when you use his gifts to service his people.” Everner lived by this statement and left this life with these words as her legacy. It is how we measure the life of Everner Ree Buck. We need not measure it in net worth, assets acquired or notoriety. We measure her life in hand held, hugs given, love shared and lives changed! Mother Everner Ree Buck was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Buck Sr., two sons Harry Buck and Marcus Buck, three grandsons Teddrick, LeHavre Jr., and Jovan Buck, her parents Margo and Zarah Hall, five sisters Altee, Olivia Lee, Gertrude Easterling, Eunice Lockhart, Lullie and Mary Hortman, five brothers Topsie, Bush, James Lynn, Levester and Wydell Hall. She leaves to cherish her memories, her loving children: Wilburt (Maple) AZ, Roland Jr., LeHavre Sr., (Barbara), Charlie (Yvonne) AZ, Larry, Richard, Margolace, Gregory (Nuntiata) Buck. 29 Grandchildren, H. Joy Buck, TX, Wilbert Buck Jr., AZ, Curtis Buck, Adrian Buck, LaTrice (Martin) Hogan, Dawn Buck, AZ, Terese Haskins, Laurencetta Sanders, MD, Nicole Wilhart, MI, Unique Buck, Anitra Buck, AZ, Courtney Carr, IL, Richard Buck II, Marande Buck, Rashida Buck, IL Pretti Hickman, Marisha Buck, AZ, Roland Buck III, CA, Ashley Buck, AZ, Jessica Buck, CA, Marcus Buck, TX, Austin Buck, AZ, Gregory Buck, Ariana Buck; extended grandsons Jeffery and Jordan Roman, 53 great grandchildren, 19 great-great grandchildren, two devoted goddaughters, Ruth Hall, GA and Gertrude Jacobs and a host of extended family members, friends and loved ones who cherished and loved her dearly. “God has given you everything you need now it’s time to get what you want” Everner Ree Buck

Mrs. Everner Ree Buck

February 5, 1922 - August 8, 2014