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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Buckley, Florence Ruby Rae (Bisson)

Age 87

BUCKLEY, Florence Ruby Rae (Bisson) Florence Ruby Rae (Bisson) Buckley was born April 27, 1926 on a houseboat on the St. Joe River near St. Maries, Idaho.

The daughter of Bill and Ruby Bisson, she was raised by her beloved Choctaw grandmother, Florence (Bridgewater) Beamer in Lewiston, Idaho.

As a young woman Rae helped with the war effort, first working at an airplane manufacturing plant as “Ruby” the Riveter, and then at the Colman Dock in Seattle.

She graduated from Queen Anne High School before earning a BS at the University of Washington.

Rae was a lifelong liberal, philanthropist and supporter of the arts.

Contributions in her memory may be made to any of her favorite organizations including the Kettle Falls Lady Lions, the Kettle Falls Public Library, the Seattle Shakespeare Company or Planned Parenthood.

Rae passed away on December 21, 2013 and was preceded in death, weeks earlier, by her best friend and favorite travel companion, Sid and in 1956 by her third daughter, Shauna Lynn.

She will be lovingly remembered by daughters Apanakhi Jeri Buckley, Jeannie Buckley Blank and husband Tom Blank, Betty Buckley and husband Gregg Caudell, Jody Russelle Buckley, Erin Buckley-Noonan and husband Kurt Noonan, along with nine grandchildren and many, many friends.

Her daughters will always lovingly remember her down-to-earth advice, posture and good grammar.

As she often told them, “it’s never a problem being the best dressed person in the room.”

She was truly an Idaho Ruby.