Cody Buckendorf

Published 2:06 pm Friday, November 30, 2018

Oct. 2, 1988 – Nov. 26, 2018

As Cody’s wife I never thought in a million years I would be writing my husband’s obituary. I am in complete shock and heartbroken. We were a couple that was madly in love and loved to live life by the seat of our pants. We preferred adventure and experience over stuff.

My husband, Cody A. Buckendorf, age 30, passed away from suicide on Monday, November 26, 2018, in Toppenish, WA.

He was born October 2, 1988, in Redmond, OR, to Jim Buckendorf and Colleen Haas. In every school from St. Francis to Summit High to Boise State, his personality was contagious. He was a special student that connected with teachers and an exceptional athlete that wanted the best for himself and everyone around him. If you knew my husband, you wanted to be around him. His energy and love were magnetic and captivating. We had dreams of making a positive impact on the lives of our youth, Cody coaching football and me teaching children mindfulness. We wanted to make the world a better, brighter, more compassionate place, together. He was a chameleon soul who could meet anyone where they were at, happy, sad, rich, poor, it didn’t matter, he made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He lived for connection and seeing others have a smile on their face. His family was his number one, which included all of his friends because he treated them like family. This man was a role model to all and happened to also look like a GQ model (most beautiful beard ever). He would do anything to put a smile on my face and loved to put me to shame in the grocery stores with his dad skills by getting admired for always being the first dad people have seen wear their baby vs. the mom. This man LOVED his children and, oh my god, did they love him. He adored his GINORMOUS family and couldn’t wait until the next gathering.

Cody is survived by me, his wife, Bailee, and three sons, Tuff, Madoc and Hayes; his parents Jim & Shoshana Buckendorf, and Colleen & Chuck Haas; father and mother-in-law, Chad and Michelle Lowry; two sisters-in-law, Nataucha Christofferson (Kyle), and McKenzie Lowry (Josh); two brothers-in-law, Corby Lowry and Blake Lowry; and step-siblings Joe and Andy Seevers, Jake Hermeling and Katelyn Knox.

A Celebration of Cody’s Life will be held Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, at 11:00 am at Events at Sunset, 915 ByPass Hwy in Richland, WA 99352. Express your thoughts and memories on the online Guestbook at www.einansatsunset.com.

Shine on my love.

Light us all up, please.