[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING MARK BUYCK
______
HON. JOE WILSON
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Monday, July 13, 2026
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life
of Mark Wilson Buyck, Jr. South Carolinians will always cherish the
professionalism of Defense Attorney Mark Buyck as evidenced by his
extraordinary success serving the public. A highlight of my life was in
1966, as a Washington and Lee University student, to poll watch for him
at Mars Bluff Precinct in Florence, with his leadership in founding the
modern Republican Party in South Carolina. I include in the Record an
inspiring obituary provided by Waters-Powell Funeral Home:
Mark Wilson Buyck, Jr.
Mark W. Buyck, Jr., 91, of Florence, passed away July 11,
2026.
Mr. Buyck was born on Christmas Day 1934, the son of Mark
Wilson Buyck and Mary Otis Buyck. He graduated from Saint
Matthews High School where he was President of the Senior
Class, editor of the school's award-winning newspaper, and
State President of the Beta Club, an honorary Scholastic
Society.
He graduated from his beloved University of South Carolina
with an A.B. in 1956 and its Law School in 1959. He served as
a judge advocate in the US Air Force for three years
following law school, including spending the first two years
of his 66-year marriage in Turkey with his wife, the former
Julia Willcox of Florence, where their first two children
were born. He and Julia were inseparable and shared their
numerous life activities together.
He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lt. Colonel. He
served on the USC Board of Trustees for 28 years. He was a
former member of the Board of Visitors of USC, Francis Marion
University, and Winthrop University, receiving Honorary
Degrees from both Francis Marion University and the
University of South Carolina. He was a past president of the
Greater USC Alumni Association and a former member of the
State Board governing South Carolina's Technical College
System. Mr. Buyck was active in local civic affairs, serving
as president of the Florence Rotary Club, Florence Country
Club, and Florence Little Theater. He was one of the founders
of the Florence Heritage Foundation, the first Chairman of
its Board, and President.
He was a member of the Florence County, South Carolina and
American Bar Associations, and a past president of the S.C.
Defense Trial Attorneys Association. He was a permanent
member of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, former
United States Attorney for South Carolina, and past chairman
of the University of South Carolina Law School Association.
Mr. Buyck was admitted to practice before all State and
Federal Courts in South Carolina, the United States Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the
United States.
He was a former member of the Federation of Insurance and
Corporate Counsel, the National Association of Railroad Trial
Counsel, a current member of the American College of Trial
Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was
past president of the S.C. Chapter of ABOTA and a former
member of its National Board of Directors. Mr. Buyck was past
Chairman of the National College of District Attorneys
Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a
former Regent and Vice-President of the National College of
District Attorneys.
Mr. Buyck was the past President of the South Carolina
Historical Society. He served for a decade on the initial
Advisory Board of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He
was a member of the Executive Committee of the SC State Fair
Association. He had been honored by two Governors of South
Carolina with the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest
award, and had been listed in all published editions of the
Best Lawyers in America. He received the prestigious honor of
the Judge Hemphill Award for distinguished service to the
legal profession and the public by the SC Defense Trial
Attorneys Association and the Compleat Lawyer Award by the
USC Law School. He was also the recipient of the Judge Ralph
K. Anderson, Jr. Award from the Florence County Bar
Association, and the SC Bar DuRant Award for distinguished
public service and outstanding leadership to his profession,
community, state, and nation. The DuRant Award is presented
by the South Carolina Bar Foundation and is considered the
highest honor for a South Carolina lawyer. Some of his most
significant criminal cases occurred while serving as U.S.
Attorney and in civil cases he was involved in the S.C.
Tobacco cases during his private practice.
Mr. Buyck was a member of the Board of Directors of The
Bank of Clarendon. He served on the Board of Trustees and as
Secretary of Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation in Florence. He
was on the MUSC Florence Hospital Board of Trustees and was a
member of the Board of the SC State Ports Authority. Mr.
Buyck was an attorney at Willcox, Buyck, and Williams, PA for
over 60 years.
He was a lifelong horseman. He and Julia were engaged at
the Carolina Cup, and he was a former member of the Camden
Hunt. One of the happiest moments of his life was when his
horse Show Court won the Carolina Cup in 2017. He and Julia
were generous hosts, particularly for his family and friends
on his Christmas birthdays at his home and at their cottage
at Pawleys Island.
He was a parishioner of Saint Anthony Catholic Church,
former president of the Parish Council, and former Parish
School board chairman and a lector.
He is preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Hugh
Willcox Buyck, Jr.
Surviving are his wife, the former Julia Willcox of
Florence and three children: Mark W. Buyck, III, (Virginia)
of Florence, Julie B. McKissick (Charlie) of Greenville, and
Hugh W. Buyck (Meredith) of Mt. Pleasant; eight
grandchildren: Mark W. Buyck, IV, of Florence, Elizabeth B.
Howell (Joseph) of Charleston, Brooks Buyck of Charleston,
Charles McKissick, Jr. of Georgetown, Julia Smyth Anido
(Andrew) of Greenville, Peter S. Buyck of Charleston; Coles
Buyck of Mt. Pleasant; and his siblings, William Otis Buyck
of Manning, Lynan B. Leding of Tampa, FL, and Susan B.
Eckstein of Chapin.
____________________