Lt. Cmdr. John R. Buffington, USN (ret.), 71, of Minersville, PA passed away at home on Saturday afternoon.
Born in Pottsville, PA he was a son of Elizabeth Weismiller Buffington, Minersville, PA and the late William Buffington, Sr. He was a 1960 graduate of Minersville Area High School. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Hospital Administration from George Washington University. He later earned Master's in Public Administration from East Carolina University. After enjoying years of retirement, he returned to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he earned Master's degree in Divinity. Finally, he earned a Ph.D. from Newburg Seminary Newburg, Indiana.
He served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, entering the service in 1960, serving as a Hospital Corpsman. He attained the rank of Master Chief before accepting a commission in the Navy Medical Service Corps. He served primarily with Marine Corps units, including deployments for the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam Conflict, the Beirut Barracks Bombing and the Invasion of Grenada.
He was the former pastor of the Minersville Community Church and currently attended the First Baptist Church, Pottsville.
Preceding him in death was a brother, William Buffington, Jr., in 1987.
Surviving are his wife, the former Shelby Trent, to whom he was married on February 29, 1964; two daughters, Beth Martin and her husband, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brandt Martin, USCG (ret.), Slidell, Louisiana, and Catherine Buffington and her husband Don Badrak, University Park, Maryland; five grandchildren, Natalie and Noah Martin, Trent, Audrey and Sam Badrak; a brother, James Buffington and his wife, Jean, Saint Clair, PA; a sister, Mary Lou Bainbridge and her husband, Fred, Minersville, PA; a sister-in-law, Bernadette Buffington, Llewellyn, PA; four nieces and nephews; seven great nieces and great nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 24, 2014 at Midway Baptist Church by Rev. Lynn Marstin. Burial with Military Honors by American Legion Altavista Memorial Post 36 will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Colbert-Moran Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers contributions to the Minersville Area High School Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 787, Minersville, PA 17954.
Colbert-Moran Funeral Home, Gretna is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.colbertmoran.com.