Col. (ret.) William James Buchanan Jr. Col. (ret.) William James Buchanan Jr., 72, of Puyallup, Wash., died Thursday, April 3, 2008 at Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft. Lewis, Wash., following a brief illness. Born December 10, 1935, he was the son of William James Buchanan Sr. and Helen McKay Buchanan Cothran, formerly of Charleston, S.C. He was a 1959 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and earned a masters degree from the University of Alabama in 1968. He entered the U.S. Army in June 1959 and retired in 1988 at the rank of colonel. He was a Vietnam veteran and also served his country on numerous assignments throughout the eastern United States, Germany, Korea, Thailand, Texas, Hawaii and Washington. Col. Buchanan was a highly decorated officer during his 29 years of service to his country. Among the medals he earned were the Defense Superior Service, the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service and Army Commendation medals and the Bronze Star. He was preceded in death by his parents and by one nephew, Fr. Scott A. Buchanan. He is survived by his wife, Kaethe L. Buchanan, of Puyallup; one daughter, Cathy St. Clair, of Keen Mountain, Va.; two sons, William James Buchanan III, of California, Md., and Robert C. Buchanan, of Indianapolis, Ind.; one sister, Carol A. Buchanan, of Charleston, S.C.; one brother, Byron R. Buchanan, of Loganville, Ga.; one step-daughter, Karen Gray, of Puyallup; four grandsons; one granddaughter; two nephews; one niece; several aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash., where full military honors will be conducted. Friends may call at Powers Funeral Home, in Puyallup, Wash., on Monday, April 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105; or to The Citadel Foundation, The Citadel, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, S.C. 29409.


Published in the News Tribune (Tacoma) on 4/6/2008.