Bernard 'Bucky' Macsherry Jr., gone but not forgotten
One year ago, we lost a devoted brother and trusted friend in Bernard Shriver Macsherry Jr., also known as Bucky, of Rehoboth Beach and Potomac, Md. He died of a massive heart attack Feb. 1, 2013, while on vacation in Tamarindo, Costa Rica visiting his brother and sister-in-law, Richard Meredith Macsherry and Christina Gybbon Spilsbury.
Bucky was born April 1, 1952, in Ft. Benning, Ga. to the late Barbara Drury Wise Macsherry and Bernard Shriver Macsherry. Raised in the Baltimore, Md. and Washington, D.C. areas, he attended Baltimore Academy of the Visitation before the family moved to D.C. in 1962. He graduated from Our Lady of Victory parochial school (1966) and Gonzaga College High School (1970), where he was on the student council, tutoring group, drama club, varsity football and weightlifting teams, winning first place in his division at the 1967 AAU Final Junior Olympics Meet. Upon graduation, he received the Spanish Medal and Barnes Award presented to students distinguished for “Honor, Humility, Reliability, and Deportment.” Bucky attended Villanova University and earned a BA in English from Georgetown University (1975). While in college, he played rugby and football, studied art and karate, earning a brown belt.
During college, he worked at the Third Edition restaurant/bar and, afterwards, helped construct, open, and manage F. Scott’s supper club from 1976-85. Bucky enjoyed life and new experiences. In 1982, as reported in The Washington Post, he won first prize for creating “Buck’s Dream,” a blend of vanilla ice cream, Kahlua and Chambord, voted “Best Winter Beverage” at the Georgetown Winter Carnival. That same year, he joined the Screen Actors Guild, with appearances in “George Washington” (MGM), “Space” (Paramount), “Protocol” (WB), “55 Lime Street” (Fox), and “Bridges to Cross” (Universal).
In 1984, Bucky became licensed in commercial real estate with Smithy Braedon. He also worked for Brannock Associates/Vector Realty and American Mortgages Inc. At the same time, he kept his hand in the D.C. restaurant business, working at the Guards and serving as vice president and general manager of Gary’s. In 1995, he moved to Rehoboth Beach. There, he combined his love of the beach and expertise in restaurant/bar management at 1776, Third Edition and Ristorante Zebra.
Bucky was a former member of the Bachelor’s Cotillon of Baltimore, the Georgetown Club, and GU Alumni Association. His avocations included golf, walking, reading, managing investments, travel and photography. Most especially, he loved people. He enjoyed a large extended family, and many valued and lifelong friendships. In addition to his brother, survivors include his sister, Helen Drury Macsherry of Potomac.
The family continues to be grateful for everyone’s love, sympathy, and support. Bucky’s loss has been eased by shared memories, kind words and letters of encouragement, as well as Mass cards and gifts to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. In addition, many thanks are extended to the greater Rehoboth Beach community for honoring Bucky with a memorial bench, as well as donations toward a bike rack and handicapped beach wheels chair, giving all access to his much-beloved beach. He is gone, but never forgotten in our hearts.
