Obituary of Samuel Edward Buckmaster

EDWARD BUCKMASTER, OF HAWLEY, DIED UNEXPECTEDLY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 26TH AFTER A COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH CANCER. BORN FEBRUARY 15, 1947 IN ASHVILLE, N.C., HE WAS THE SON OF THE LATE JOHN RAYMOND BUCKMASTER AND THE LATE NORMA DEAN HYDER. ED WAS GRADUATED FROM EAST YANCY HIGH SCHOOL IN ASHVILLE, NC AND THEN MOVED TO EQUINUNK PA. ED ATTENDED SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE BEFORE BECOMING EMPLOYED AT THE KATZ DEPARTMENT STORE IN HONESDALE. AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THE HONESDALE DEPARTMENT STORE ED BECAME THE MANAGER OF COMERFORD'S RITZ MOVIE THEATER, IN HAWLEY. LITTLE DID ED KNOW THAT THREE YEARS AFTER COMERFORD CLOSED THE HAWLEY MOVIE THEATER IN 1970, ED WOULD BE BACK IN HAWLEY HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE RITZ COMPANY PLAYERS AND BEGIN A LIFE LONG AVOCATION AS A MAINSTAY OF OVER 250 LIVE COMMUNITY THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AT THE RITZ. DURING 44 THEATRE SEASONS AT THE RITZ ED APPEARED AS AN ACTOR, SINGER, DIRECTOR, LIGHTING ENGINEER, SET DESIGNER AND CONSTRUCTION WORKER, HOUSE MANAGER AND BOX OFFICE MANAGER. ED'S MOST RECENT ROLE WAS IN THE 2015 RITZ PRODUCTION OF 'ARSENIC AND OLD LACE'. PERHAPS ED'S FINEST THEATRE ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS RECEIVING THE NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION'S (NEPTA) LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THEIR ANNUAL GALA EVENT HELD ON THE WILKES COLLEGE CAMPUS IN 1998. ED ALSO GAVE OF HIS TIME AND TALENTS VOLUNTEERING FOR NUMEROUS CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT WAYNE COUNTY. ED WAS A MEMBER OF THE WAYNE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, NORTHERN WAYNE DEMOCRATIC CLUB, THE HAWLEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB AND THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER. IN ADDITION TO ED'S LOVE OF THEATRE HE HAD A PASSION FOR POLITICS. ED VOLUNTEERED FOR MANY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL CANDIDATES AND SERVED AS THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEEMAN IN HAWLEY FOR 30 YEARS. ED IS SURVIVED BY A SISTER, DIANE YOUNG, A BROTHER, GREG BUCKMASTER ALONG WITH SEVERAL NIECES AND NEPHEWS, ALL OF ASHVILLE NC A CELEBRATION OF ED'S LIFE WILL BE HELD AT THE RITZ THEATRE IN THE SPRING OF 2017. DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE TO: THE RITZ COMPANY PLAYHOUSE 512 KEYSTONE STREET HAWLEY PA 18428