Jeanne Buck

COOKEVILLE CHAPEL - Linda Jean (Jeanne) Varner Buck departed her earthly home on Sunday September 28, 2025 and joyfully transitioned to her forever heavenly home. She is now rejoicing in the arms of her precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

Born December 7, 1942 in Chattanooga, TN Jeanne was the first child of Sidney Albert Varner and Wilma Loetta Alexander Varner. She was the granddaughter of Claude Bernard Varner and Audra Caroline Grant Varner and John Elias Alexander and Martha Clementine Spradling Alexander.

Growing up in the small town of Soddy, TN, Jeanne had an idyllic childhood. She was blessed with an exceptionally loving family and lifelong friends. She climbed trees, played in nearby creeks, and swam in the Soddy Lake with friends and family. What a joyful life!

Jeanne attended Soddy Elementary and graduated from Soddy-Daisy High School in 1960. She was active in Girl Scouts from 5th grade through high school. She attended the 1959 International Girl Scout Roundup in Colorado Springs, CO along with 9,999 other Girl Scouts. Later that same summer she was honored to represent her high school at Tennessee Girls State.

Church was extremely important to Jeanne’s family. Members of Soddy Methodist Church, they were involved in all aspects of church life. This strong community of faith had a profound influence as she grew in her Christian faith.

Jeanne earned a B.S. degree in music education from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (now Tennessee Technological University; TTU) and later completed a master’s degree in guidance and counseling there. She was involved in several school music ensembles and was vocalist for the Tech Troubadours. She was active in student government, serving as president for Tech Women’s Organization, and worked as a freshman dorm counselor and dorm “mother.” She was honored to be selected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. While at TTU, she also sang with the Cookeville First United Methodist Church (FUMC) Sanctuary Choir and the Wesley Foundation Choir.

Jeanne met John Clay Buck while they were students at TTU and participating in a musical production of “Sing Out Tech.” They married at Soddy Methodist Church August 26, 1966. John’s military duty took them to Ft. Benning, GA and to Baumholder, Germany, where daughter Kayse was born. After the completion of John’s military obligations, the family settled in Cookeville in time for the birth of daughter Audra in 1970. The family joined and was active at FUMC. Jeanne sang in the choir and performed with the handbell choir.

Jeanne had a long and varied teaching career. She taught at DuPont Elementary and Soddy Elementary in Hamilton City, TN, and Baumholder Elementary Department of Defense School in Baumholder, Germany. Park View Elementary in Cookeville, TN was her final and longest teaching position, lasting from 1970 to 2004. She was an active member of Putnam County Education Association and National Education Association. At Park View she served as an elementary guidance counselor and taught music, the highlight of her career. She delighted in and excelled at sharing her love of music with the next generation of would-be musicians. She received numerous awards for her teaching including Teacher of the Year awards from Park View, Putnam Country for the K-4 level, and the State of Tennessee at the system level.

In her spare time, Jeanne participated in the Cookeville Junior Women’s Club and served on the Cookeville Arts Council and Cookeville Summer Theatre Board. She performed in several Cookeville Summer Theater musical productions including Carousel as Cousin Nettie, The King and I as Anna Leonowens, and The Sound of Music as Maria Rainer. Performing in these once-Broadway productions was a dream come true.

After she retired, Jeanne served as a Stephen Minister hosted by FUMC, served on the Putnam County National Day of Prayer Task Force, and co-founded and served as a convener for a local chapter of The International Order of St. Luke (OSL).

For four years, Jeanne and John planned and coordinated monthly trips for the Senior Adult Travel Buddies Ministry at FUMC. They thoroughly enjoyed meeting fellow travelers and visiting new places.

Jeanne’s greatest joy was spending time family, whom she is survived by: her husband of almost 60 years, John, Cookeville, TN; daughters and sons-in-law Kayse and Matt Martin, Santa Fe, TN and Audra Buck-Coleman and Andrew Coleman, Imperial Beach, CA; granddaughters Rachel Martin (Evan) Moeller, Chattanooga, TN and Emma Kate Martin and Sara Martin, Knoxville, TN; grandson William Coleman, Imperial Beach, CA; and nephew Chris Varner and family, Chattanooga, TN.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, brother Richard Varner, sister Nancy Elizabeth (Betsy) Varner Scott, father-in-law Billy Buck, mother-in-law Mary John Pointer Buck, and sister-in-law Janice Kaye Buck Thomas.

The family will host visitation from 10:00 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Cookeville First United Methodist Church. A memorial service will follow there at noon. Jeanne will be interred at Paran Church in Overton County at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, Jeanne requests memorials be made in her name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to the many caregivers at Gentiva Hospice Care and to Dr. Pamela Sanders and her staff at Seasons Medical Center. They are also appreciative of the superb care Jeanne received from Vanderbilt Hospital doctors and staff.

Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111. Share memories and condolences at www.hhhfunerals.com.