Donald Wray Bucknor

Donald “Don” Wray Bucknor died at the age of 88, a few weeks shy of his 89th birthday.  Don died on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021, in his home of 41 years in Teaneck, New Jersey.  Don was born on October 5, 1932 to Eva Mae Baker and Judge Percival “Percy” Bucknor in Hanover, Jamaica.  As a youth he was lovingly given the  nickname “Dolly” because his Grandmother Eleanor, would often comment on his handsome appearance, “he looks like a little dolly”.  Donald was the youngest of three siblings including: Dorith Elaine Johnson and Lloyd Bucknor. 

Don worked in various retail settings during his early career in Jamaica.  He met his first wife Jessica Lolita Day in 1961 and was married soon after. In 1967 Don and Jessica immigrated to the United States where they started their lives in Ridgewood, NJ.  It did not take long for Donald to land a job at Sears Roebuck and Co. where he worked for years as a successful sales manager.  He continued to pursue his career in retail at Thom McAn Shoes until 1977, when he purchased his first of 4 real estate properties he would own in Englewood and Teaneck, NJ.  Don was an avid entrepreneur, he owned ALDICA - aluminum siding and brick cleaning business where he had multiple local residential and government contracts.  People often referred him for business and were impressed by his confident personality and his aim to please his customers.

In 1982, Don was invited to Englewood Assemblies of God Church. An invitation that would chance his life. Don gave his heart to the Lord and radically changed his life.  He retired his business and went on to pursue full-time ministry as an evangelist for Christ.  God used Donald’s life in an amazing way including serving as an evangelist for the Billy Graham Crusade in the United States and in China in the early 1980’s;  to serving as a Chaplin for the Salvation Army in Hackensack NJ, where he would spend hours per week ministering to inmates in the jails (he said these were some of the best times of his ministry); to serving in multiple leadership positions for Gideons International, including serving as area Chaplin and Area Director and where he was a part of a “camp” that distributed thousands of bibles to in Bergan County, NJ. 

Mindful of his own radical transformation, Don widely and freely shared his own testimony  by witnessing to hundreds of people.  He would share his testimony and the message of salvation, “being in relationship with Jesus” with anyone who would be in his path, from the cashier at the supermarket, to the waitress at the restaurant, to the elderly at the nursing homes, to any person walking down the street past his home.  One important part of his legacy was his commitment to sharing the word of God.  Don single-handedly distributed thousands of bibles.  He would travel the area with a briefcase full of bibles witnessing to anyone who would listen and would not come home until they were all gone.  Don received many awards and recognition from the Gideons, Salvation Army and Redeeming Love Christian Center, and other places of worship for his dedication and community service in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He was a teacher, a preacher, a worship leader, a church deacon, and a spiritual encourager for family and friends.  Don also was widely regarded as a ‘prayer warrior’ who believed strongly in the power of prayer and would welcome any opportunity to fast and pray on behalf of anyone who would ask.  He loved to tell people about God’s healing power and he witnessed many miracles in his own life (being healed of a brain tumor and prostate cancer) and countless miracles in the lives of others.

Besides the Lord, Don had a great many passions including the love of his children Jessica “Eleanor” and Barry Bucknor and their spouses, Booker and Marcia (respectively) and his grandchildren.  He also enjoyed his extended family and offered nothing but kind words, encouragement and prayer to them.  Don also was an avid gardener, who took great pride in his yard and its beauty was an admiration to everyone that would pass his home.  He enjoyed singing praise and worship songs and had an earnest singing voice that people admired because he sang with his whole heart.  He enjoyed reading the bible and memorizing scripture and would often have, what he would call, “personal bible study with his Daddy”.  In 2004, Don experienced the first of two strokes and dealt with chronic diseases to include hypertension and diabetes. Most recently, he struggled with late stage dementia. In keeping with his God given indomitable spirit, he would never complain, simply stating,  “I just give God thanks because it could be worse”.  He remained salt and light, throughout his life and offered encouragement all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his adopted son LaSalles Hylton, sister, Dorith Elaine Bucknor, his Brother Lloyd Bucknor, mother, Eva Mae Bucknor, and father Judge Percival Bucknor. 

Donald is survived by his wife Belinda Bucknor, his beloved son Barrington “Barry” Bucknor (62) and his wife Marcia Bucknor, their 3 children, granddaughter Telisa (40) married to Jermaine Clarke, grandson Jermaine (38) married to Bethany and grandson, Jamaal (35), his 5 greatgrandchildren Jermaine Jr. and Jaydon Clarke, and Miles (8), Madelyn (5) and Marcus (4) Bucknor; his beloved daughter Jessica Eleanor Daniels and her husband Booker Daniels and his two granddaughters Jillian and Chelsea Daniels; daughter-in-law Angela Hylton and granddaughter Nicole Hylton, nieces, Berina Bucknor-Myrie, Sharon Bucknor, Maxine Bucknor, and Sandra Bucknor, niece, Joan O. Pinnock, Esq. and her daughter and Danielle Pinnock Wallace and son-in-law William Wallace and nephew Robert Johnson and wife Andrea Johnson and son Brandon Johnson.