Virginia Buck

is honored with a Brick from Nancy Kassebaum Baker

VIRGINIA DAUGHTERTY BUCK

Virginia Buck was always known around Wichita as “Gingy,” and the long list of organizations that benefitted from her many years of volunteer work meant that a lot of people knew Gingy Buck.

She was born Virginia Daugherty in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 23, 1929. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1950 where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. At KU, Gingy met her husband Robert Buck, whose family owned Buck’s Department Store in downtown Wichita.

The newlyweds took up residence in Wichita where Robert worked first for the family store and later started his own business. The household was busy with three children: David, Thomas, and Kathryn.

Overflowing with energy and interests, Gingy’s volunteer activities began when she signed up as a troop leader for the Girl Scouts. Soon, she joined the Women’s Advisory Council for the Institute of Logopedics, serving as president from 1958-59. Later, Gingy served on the Board of Trustees of Wichita State University, participated on the Wichita Symphony Board, and helped organize the Coleman Junior High School PTA.

An active member of the Junior League of Wichita, Gingy was instrumental during the early 1960s when the League collaborated with the YWCA to launch an integrated pre-school program that became a model for the HeadStart program.

In the 1970s, Gingy became actively involved with the local United Way organization. In 1984, she was named chair of the annual United Way campaign, the first woman appointed to this leadership role. As head of the campaign, Gingy organized approximately 6,000 volunteers who raised funds for 39 local agencies that were funded by United Way.

Issues related to aging also were important to Gingy. She sat on the Senior Services Board, worked with Meals on Wheels, served as a delegate to the 1982 White House Conference on Aging, and actively worked to pass a county mill levy to support programs for seniors. At the Wichita Public Library, Gingy helped found a talking books lending program for the home bound.

Her serious commitment to the Wichita community, coupled with a keen interest in politics, led Gingy to join the campaign in 1978 to elect Nancy Landon Kassebaum to the U.S. Senate. She became part of a core group of women who tirelessly worked on Nancy’s behalf during her re-election campaigns in 1984 and 1990.

Virginia Buck died February 25, 2004 after a long life dedicated to helping her family and bettering her community. She was survived by her husband, children and six grandchildren.