FINDLAY, Ohio (Oct. 14, 2015) — Steven E. Buck, 72, former Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. executive, died Oct. 12 in Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay.
Mr. Buck retired in January 2006 after 20 years with Hercules, where he served as tire division vice president and general manager. He began his career with Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and went on from there to Farmland Industries and then fuel distributor Cenex before joining Hercules. Mr. Buck worked for the Findlay-based company when its acquisition in May of 2012 by FdG Associates L.L.C., a New York City private equity firm, took Hercules from a cooperative with 33 shareholder/owners to a private tire distributor.
At that time, Craig Anderson, Hercules' then-CEO and board vice chairman, told Tire Business that in the wake of FdG becoming majority owner, Mr. Buck would remain with Hercules as vice president of sales, tasked with “working on special projects with suppliers and customers on the transition.''
Then, paying the longtime Hercules executive his due, Mr. Anderson noted there were a number of projects in the pipeline at the time of the FdG buyout that need to be implemented and “Steve's great in the field,...knows the dealers around the country and will provide a service for us in increasing our business and transitioning our current business.”
Mr. Buck was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on Nov. 15, 1942, to the late C.J. and Rosemarie (Mashek) Buck. He graduated from Schuyler (Neb.) High School, the United States Army Officers Candidate School and Nebraska State College. After marrying Darlene Balogh in 1967 in Willow Lake, S.D., he served as an officer in several Army National Guard and Army Reserve Units before turning his attention to a career in the tire and rubber industry.
As a second career, Mr. Buck became a licensed realtor agent with Guyer Noakes Realty Group. He also served as a director on several national and local boards including the former National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association (NTDRA), the Findlay Rotary Club, Open Arms — which offers domestic violence and rape crisis services — and several condo and association boards.
He was an active member of the Findlay Country Club, Rotary Club, Bay Point Yacht Club and Gateway Church, where he previously served as an Elder. Mr. Buck also was a life member of Pheasants Forever, and belonged to the National Rifle Association and the Pits Rod and Gun Club.
His survivors include his wife Darlene; sons Christopher (Jennifer) of Independence, Ky., and Matthew (Sarah) of Findlay; daughter Stephanie A. Buck of Chicago; brother Scott (Shannon) Buck of Hastings, Neb.; sister Sue Bordogna of Lincoln, Neb.; and eight grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 1-3 and 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, at Coldren-Crates Funeral Home in Findlay. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Gateway Church in Findlay, with full military rites conducted at the church by the Hancock County Veterans Memorial Squad.
The Buck family suggested memorials may be given to Open Arms in Findlay. Online condolences are welcomed on the funeral home's website.