Patricia Idella (Nash) BuckDecember 6, 1939 – August 14, 2026Patricia Idella (Nash) Buck, 86, of Long Beach, California, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2026, in the home she had lovingly made her own for more than 60 years.

Pat was born on December 6, 1939, in Long Beach to Harry Richard Nash and Reba Idella Nash. A lifelong resident of Long Beach, her only extended time away from Southern California came from 1959 to 1961, when her husband, Franklin Jerome Buck, was stationed with the United States Army at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. During those years, Pat worked as an executive secretary and stenographer in Huntsville for NASA, where she held a Top Secret security clearance during the early space race.

Pat’s love story with Frank began when she was just 15 years old. They met at Forest Home Christian Camp in February 1955. On Christmas Eve 1956, Frank proposed by hiding an engagement ring underneath a piece of See’s Candy. They were married in Long Beach on June 28, 1957, beginning a marriage that would span an extraordinary 69 years.

They loved one another immensely, and their enduring devotion to each other was one of the defining gifts of Pat’s life.

Together, Pat and Frank raised two children, Sheryl Lynn Johnson and Rick Buck, in the Long Beach home they purchased in 1965. Pat devoted much of her life to being a homemaker, creating a warm and welcoming place for family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who entered their home. She also worked as a REALTOR® during the 1980s.

Hospitality came naturally to Pat. She enjoyed using her creativity through cooking, baking, decorating, and entertaining to make others feel loved and welcomed. Christmas was an especially memorable time in the Buck home. Each year, Pat baked numerous sour cream coffee cakes to deliver to neighbors, made homemade candy, and filled the house with an amazing Santa Claus collection. In fact, she loved decorating for nearly every holiday.

Pat was creative in many other ways as well. She loved drawing and painting and had a wonderful eye for antiques. Antiquing was one of her favorite pastimes, and over the years she especially enjoyed collecting salt dips and knife rests, carefully choosing pieces that reflected her appreciation for beauty, craftsmanship, and history.

Her creativity also found its way into publishing. Pat had the special joy of co-writing three books with her daughter, Sheryl Lynn: Mommy & Me in the Kitchen, Mommy & Me in the Garden, and Tea Parties from the Heart. The books beautifully reflected so much of what Pat valued—family, creativity, hospitality, and the joy of making meaningful memories together.

Although Pat could be reserved and introverted, those who knew her best also knew her playful side. Around family and close friends, she could be wonderfully goofy. She enjoyed playing cards, especially during family camping trips, and treasured the simple pleasure of time spent together.

Her life was also characterized by service.

Pat spent many years volunteering with church youth groups and participating in mission trips to Mexico. After Frank retired from Southern California Edison, the two began another meaningful chapter of service through SOWERS—Servants on Wheels Ever Ready. Traveling throughout the United States in their motorhome, they volunteered for month-long work projects at Christian camps, ministries, and charitable organizations. Together, they used their time, talents, and willing hands to serve others wherever they were needed.

At the center of Pat’s life was her faith in Jesus Christ.

She gave her life to Christ as a young girl at a church in Long Beach, and her faith remained deeply important throughout her life. It was more than something she believed; it was something she sought to live.

Pat and Frank attended Long Beach Church of God on Palo Verde during the early years of their marriage. Around 1971, they began attending First Baptist Church of Lakewood, and later in life they attended Cornerstone Church in Long Beach.

For many years, Pat and Frank memorized and recited Scripture together almost every evening, particularly Psalm 23 and John 14:1–3. Even during the final five years of her life, as Parkinson’s dementia affected so many of her memories, those cherished words of Scripture remained firmly planted in her heart and mind. She could still remember and recite them—a beautiful testimony to the faith that had sustained her throughout her life.

Pat was preceded in death by her beloved son, Rick Buck, in 2022; her parents, Harry Richard Nash and Reba Idella Nash; and her brother, Ken Nash.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 69 years, Frank Buck; her daughter, Sheryl Lynn Johnson, and husband Curtis Johnson; her daughter-in-law, Michelle Buck; her sister, Peggy (Nash) Spivey, and her husband, Bill Spivey; and her sister-in-law, Donna Nash.

She is also lovingly remembered by her grandchildren: Kingston Buck and his wife, Linda; and Sterling Buck and his wife, Veronica; Thomas Johnson and his wife, Andrea; Connor Johnson and his wife, Jessica.

Pat’s great-grandchildren brought tremendous joy to the later years of her life. They include Henry Johnson, Callum Johnson, and Eleanor Lou Johnson. She also leaves behind the anticipation of another great-granddaughter, expected to join the family in September 2026.

The family is especially grateful for Pat’s caregiver, Cynthia, whose faithful and loving care was an extraordinary blessing to Pat and to the entire family during her final years.Pat leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured simply by the years of her life. It can be seen in a marriage that endured for nearly seven decades; in children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who knew they were loved; in neighbors who received homemade coffee cakes at Christmas; in books created with her daughter; in ministries strengthened by willing hands; in people welcomed around her table; and in a faith that remained steadfast even when so much else faded.

Her family will remember her for the home she created, the people she served, the traditions she lovingly carried on, her creative spirit, her appreciation for beautiful things, and the quiet, faithful way she sought to live out what she believed.

A memorial service celebrating Pat’s life will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Luyben Dilday Mortuary, 5161 E. Arbor Road, Long Beach, California.

A graveside service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn Long Beach, 1500 E. San Antonio Drive, Long Beach, California.

Following the graveside service, family and friends are invited to gather for a reception at the Buck family home, 2142 Ostrom Avenue, Long Beach, California 90815—the home Pat so lovingly created and where she welcomed others for more than six decades.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those wishing to honor Pat to make a donation to Jordan’s House, a hospitality and respite ministry serving parents and caregivers of children with special needs, at itsjordanshouse.org.

It is especially fitting that a woman whose life was marked by hospitality and caring for others would be remembered by helping provide rest, encouragement, and hospitality to families who need it most.

Pat was deeply loved, and her influence will continue through the generations who follow her.