Bill Ray Buchanan, age 70, of Panama City Beach, FL passed away early Sunday morning, January 29, 2023 with his daughters, Kimberly Barr and Amy Thomas, by his side.
He was the beloved son of the late James and Ethel Buchanan.
A fantastic father and grandfather, a great son and brother, and a best friend to countless people from all walks of life.
He leaves a tremendous hole in the hearts of friends and family who were always entertained by his stories and witty sense of humor.
Born on January 17, 1953 he took an extreme amount of pride in being a lifelong resident of Bay County, FL.
He was a graduate of Bay High School and a well-respected local business owner. He retired from Miracle Paint Center in 2012, allowing him to devote his life to the things he loved most, his family, and his love of the outdoors.
He traveled to Alaska on numerous occasions with his brother, Sonny Buchanan, and numerous friends that remained so throughout his life.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman, never turning down an opportunity to hit the road on his next adventure.
He hunted and fished all over the United States, even traveling internationally to Costa Rica and the Bahamas.
Always yearning to return to his beloved Florida where he was born and raised. He was a third generation member of West Bay Advent Christian Church.
He is survived by his daughters, Kim Barr (Andrew) and Amy Thomas (Rob); six grandchildren, Drew, Kaitlyn, Amanda, Sam, Ella and Riley Thomas. Emerson Brady was his only great-grandchild. Bill has two surviving siblings which he loved dearly, Sonny Buchanan and Reba Wilkerson (Bo).
He was a wonderful uncle to Lisa Felix and Jamie Williams as well as their children Sydney, Hannah and Jake. Bill was recently engaged to Jennifer Smith who survives him as well.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Thursday, February 2, 2023, at Southerland Family Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at 3:00 p.m. prior to the service.
