George "Butch" Buccella

[SLM]

I just got a call that my best friends dad passed away rather suddenly Tuesday night. He'd developed Alzheimer's in the last year and change but his health was still good. I've known him for 15 years. I met him and my friend at the same time and that's when I became heavily involved in dirt track racing. He'd retired from driving in the early to mid '80's and his son took up racing in the early '90's. I'd go and watch at a track that's almost 1 1/2 hours each way from me and there was this guy racing that lived 10 minutes from me. I went down to the pits after the races one night and talked to them and as they say, the rest is history. In the summer I spent more time at his house working on the car with my friend than I did at work and home. He and his wife Judy were my second family. Anything that he could do to help anyone out... he was right there. I remember him tracking down a universal joint for our tow truck at 3:00 AM so we could go racing the next day one time. I still have no idea where he got it!! Another time he magically appeared with a brand new radiator when we'd punched a hole in ours from a rock flying up off the track. Some times we'd go racing and he'd stay home in case there was something that we would need and not have with us so he could bring it. That worked out once when we were 2 1/2 hours from home and I broke a weight bar on the trailer. He tracked one down late on a Sunday night and brought it to us so we could get home. Just stuff like that.

I'm gonna miss him.

[FranDoc]

My deepest sympathies on the loss of a wonderful friend and all-around great guy. I know you'll miss him.

Peace to you and to all who mourn his passing.

Take time to remember all the good things, and share those with others who knew him. Good memories shared helps the healing.