Nathaniel Louis “Nate” Buckley passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls in the embrace of family on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at the age of 15. Nate had an unknown genetic heart issue that resulted in a sudden and unexpected heart attack and Nate’s death.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, January 13, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church in Watertown with Pastor Abigail Ozanne, Pastor Jen Tyler and Pastor Mike DeKraai officiating.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m., with a prayer service and time of sharing starting at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church. To the visitation, please wear your Marvel, Star Wars, or rock band shirts.
Interment will be at a later date.
Pallbearers will be Matthew Wiemann, Howie Greenman, Alex Rieffenberger, Zander Zoss, David Lechner, Jaevious Phillips-Hollie, Daniel Unkauf and Ryker Trevett.
In lieu of flowers and in thanks to the prompt response of emergency services, a scholarship will be set up in Nate's honor for rescue service programs.
Nate was born in Rochester, NY on December 18, 2006, to Beth (Fleeger) Buckley and Glen Buckley. Nate moved to Watertown, SD when he was one and a half and later attended Mellette Elementary School. At the time of his death, Nate was a freshman at Watertown High School, where he was involved in band and track.
Nate loved nature - you could always catch him outside with his friends and family. Nate especially enjoyed hunting and fishing with his Grandpa Don, cousin Matt, and Uncle Scott. He possessed many musical skills; he could rock out on the drums and guitar or play a Christmas carol on the piano. He was also an artist at heart, never backing down from an artistic challenge. His family will forever cherish Nate’s art that decorates their homes. In addition to painting, he was a great photographer and videographer. Nate and his friends often created stop-motion videos together to capture their memories and fun times.
Nate had a passion for history, studying wars and historical figures, and he had so much fun on the 8th grade DC trip, seeing history come alive. He loved Marvel, Star Wars, and the Lord of the Rings movies and playing video games with his friends almost every day. Nate also loved his family’s holiday traditions, from the annual Thanksgiving cousin nerf war that he organized with Matt for years to Christmases in Webster with all his family.
Nate was kind and considerate to all around him. A day didn’t go by without him saying “I love you” to his mom. He loved his sisters, with the three of them having fun with (or making fun of) each other every day. He will be remembered for his hilarious quick wit. He loved his pets – Duke, Penny, Steve Miller and the recently departed Pat the Cat.
Nate was deeply loved and brought immense joy to those around him. He will be forever remembered and loved by his mother and step-father, Beth Buckley and Scott Hardie of Watertown; his sisters Alexa and Lydia Buckley of Watertown; his father, Glen Buckley of Rochester, NY; his half-sister Charlotte (Jaimie) Philips of Rochester, NY; his maternal grandparents, Don and Linda Fleeger of Webster, SD; his paternal grandfather, Gordon Buckley of Standish, England; his cousins Amanda Wiemann of Lakeville, MN (his godmother), Matthew (fiancée, Kailie Drescher) Wiemann of Chaska, MN (his godfather), and Amelia and Aubrey Jacobson of Maple Grove, MN; his aunts and uncles Tyra and Scott Wiemann of Lakeville, MN and Page Fleeger and Jeff Jacobson of Maple Grove, MN; his step-grandmother, Avis Hardie of Clear Lake, SD; his step-siblings Haley Hardie (Juan Garcia) of Washington D.C., and Courtney, Kelsey, and Heath Hardie of Sioux Falls, SD; and numerous friends and relatives.
Nate was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother Rita Buckley and his special friend and great aunt, Doris Larson.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel, www.wightandcomes.com.