Celebration of life held for Phil Buchanan
More than 200 people attended the long awaited celebration of life ceremony for Phil Buchanan Sunday afternoon at the St. James City Civic Center. The main hall was full of friends and family as flute music of the “Cherokee Morning Song” played in the background and photos of Buchanan were displayed on a large screen.
Buchanan, a longtime Pine Island resident and activist, died May 12, 2016.
Roger Wood, president of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association, opened the ceremonies outlining the many organizations Buchanan served beginning with the GPICA.
“Phil served Pine Island in many ways,” Wood said. “He served as our legal advisor, he was the contact with Lee County. Phil always knew what was happening, he was one of the original participants in the Pine Island Plan, he was very active writing articles and letters to the editor. Phil was all about preserving the character of Pine Island.”
Buchanan was born on a Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina and received his formal education earning a bachelors of law degree and later, juris doctor from the University of Maryland.
Buchanan worked for the U.S. Government serving in numerous foreign lands, including Vietnam. He worked as an attorney and intelligence officer for the government for 33 years. His position at retirement in 1993 was Assistant General Counsel for Intelligence Law, National Security Agency, and he was awarded the Special Action Intelligence Award in 1968 plus the National Intelligence Medal in 1994.
Buchanan and his wife “Sam” retired to Pine Island around 1994.
Once retired and living on Pine Island, Buchanan joined numerous organizations including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Calusa Land Trust, Garden Club and many more.
“I remember when I first arrived on Pine Island, Phil held meetings and made presentations about the island,” Wood said. “Those meetings got me interested in Pine Island and from those talks Phil assembled ‘The Nature Lover’s Guide to Pine Island.’ This guide covers everything from Pine Island history to the nature preserves, wildlife and even things to do. We hope to have the ‘Nature Lover’s Guide’ updated and reprinted in Phil’s honor.”
Buchanan celebrated his Cherokee heritage.
Marty Kendall, president of the Pine Island Garden Club, offered the Cherokee “Eagle Feather” ceremony explaining the importance of the eagle and eagle feather to the Cherokee.
“The eagle feather is very important to the Cherokee,” Kendall said. “The eagle is a sacred messenger between the earth and the sky. Bald eagle tail feathers symbolize spiritual power and were worn only by the chief. Phil deserved this honor as our chief.”
Ray Judah, a former Lee County Commissioner, had known Buchanan for many years. “Phil Buchanan was a force that took on so may things for so many years,” Judah said. “As I drove onto the island today, I passed by so many trail heads leading to preserves Phil was responsible for. Phil could work with the commissioners, he worked with the developers, he could work with anybody. Although there were, and still are, many people working to preserve Pine Island, Phil is singlehandedly most responsible for preserving Pine Island.”
“Perhaps every generation or so somebody steps up to the plate and dedicates his talents and passion to carve out what I call a ‘community personna’,” Calusa Land Trust president John Kendall said. “Phil was one of those people. Phil was past president of the Calusa Land Trust and Phil not only preached, but practiced pragmatic preservation. Phil championed Pine Island and I believe Phil’s spirit and direction will guide the future of Pine Island. As Roger mentioned earlier, the County Commissioners didn’t name the Galt Preserve after Phil but the Calusa Land Trust will name a preserve after Phil.”
Unfortunately Sam Bu-chanan couldn’t attend the ceremony. Her sister Norah read a card Sam wrote:
“Dear Pine Islanders, I want to thank all of you for your wonderful sympathy cards after Phil’s passing … I have been devastated by his loss. Phil was a wonderful man and he put all of his heart into the preservation of Pine Island … Phil would have appreciated this tribute so very much. With thanks and kindness to you all.”