April 22, 2026: Ord Buckingham, husband, dad, grandpa, brother, friend, “frenemy,” passed away in his home, at sunset, with open windows and his favorite scent of plum tree blossoms. It ended a five- year journey with cancer, during which he leaned heavily on his faith, and he was at peace.

He was born on September 30, 1956 to Ross and Donna May (Pearson) Buckingham, and he grew up, raised his family, and spent his entire life in the Kaycee area. In June of 1979, he met Carole House on a blind date in Midwest, Wyoming, and they were married in England that October. They worked on various ranches before returning to Willow Creek, where he had spent his own childhood, and he continued to work there, at least part time, until his death. He and Carole raised six children, all of whom he was very proud, and being a grandpa was the highlight of his life.

He leaves behind Carole,his wife of 46 years, sons Brent (Dana), Cameron, Ross (Brianna), Ashton (Michelle), and daughter Brittany (Gordon) Stouffer, grandchildren Calleigh, Cody, Ordella, Archer, Beauden, and Avangeline, brother Rock, sisters Marianne Knapp and Marti Gorman, four nephews, two nieces, three aunts, and many “chosen” family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his eldest son, Bertus. He had a sharp mind that he honed with reading, conversing, studying people, and practicing. Once he set his mind to a thing, he studied it and hung with it until he had it. Because of that, he became known as a guitar player, a “hand” around livestock, a horse trainer, a dog trainer, and, over time, a sage advisor. Perhaps the skill he most mastered was reading people and connecting with them, especially the guests at Willow Creek, many of whom became lifelong friends.

He was also a man of contradictions–genuinely compassionate/brutally honest, teary-eyed/clench- jawed. He was the loyalest of friends, and the most immovable of grudge holders; he found the nobility in the downtrodden and the hypocrisy in the elite.

He was a stoic character who could laugh until he cried, a quiet man who could convey much in very few words...so people listened. Those words were often preceded by a somewhat sadistic smirk, and he was a master at “voluntolding” others. Ord felt like home to a lot of folks–a person or place they could come to “in the storm” or just to visit. Even towards the end of his life, he tried to move to the kitchen table when folks came to visit: “My best memories are at the kitchen table,” he stated, “and as long as I’m able, this is where I am going to go when people are kind enough to stop by.” That kind of hospitality is what he extended throughout his life. Hopefully, heaven has a really big kitchen table with plenty of sweets and Wheat Thins, and perhaps his mom didn’t hide them when she saw him coming. May there be Martin guitars and part-percheron horses as well.

Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service in Kaycee will be held at a later date.

Any donations may be made to Rocky Mountain Oncology Center at 6501 E 2nd St, Casper, WY 82609, or Susie Bowling Lawrence Hospice at 497 West Lott, Buffalo, WY 82834 to support the angels who took such good care of Ord.

Online condolences may be written at https://www.kanefuneral.com/

Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.

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