Frank M. Buck, Jr. passed away on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the age of 59. Beloved and loving father of Bryan Buck, Austin Buck, and Emily Buck. Also survived by brothers and sisters, Leonard E. Wiggins, Jr., Lonnie J. Wiggins, Ethel Buck Cantu, Barry M. Wiggins, Elizabeth Buck Waguespack. Also survived by his father, Frank M. Buck, Sr. He was proceded in death by his late mother, Sylvia Orason Buck and his youngest brother Darryl I. Buck. Frank Jr. is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and an extremely large amount of cousins. He was born on October 5, 1957 in Brownsville, Texas. The family then resided in Patterson, Louisiana. Frank attended high school and graduated from Patterson High School in Patterson, Louisiana. Frank was a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy located at Kings Point, New York. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is a rigorous four-year program, which requires a Congressional nomination prior to acceptance. Frank graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation. While at the academy Frank participated in the Honor Guard, Drill Team, Rugby Football Club, Sportsmen's Club and Midshipmen Council. During his training at the academy Frank went to sea on U.S. flagged merchant vessels as part of his sophomore and junior sea years. His training took him to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, Panama Canal Zone, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Germany, Holland, England, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. During sea year he worked for Lykes Bros. Steamship Company, Delta Steamship Lines, Exxon, Inc. and State Boat Corporation. Frank graduated with a United States Coast Guard Third Mate's License, Unlimited Tonnage/ any oceans. After graduation he worked with his dad Frank M. Buck for Frank's Towing in Morgan City, Louisiana, where he operated tow boats and tug boats all over the Gulf of Mexico. Frank received his J.D. degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU in 1985, where he was chosen to be a member of the Order of the Coif Honor Society for academic excellence. He founded The Buck Law Firm and handled a wide variety of matters related to Admiralty and Maritime law, Contracts, Family Law, Successions, Real Estate, Criminal Defense and complex litigation for international business interests. He was a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated Lawyer who also received Martindale-Hubbell's Client Distinction Award. Frank was a member of the American Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, Jefferson and New Orleans Bar Associations, New Orleans Board of Trial Advocacy, Federal Bar Association, Federal Fifth Circuit Bar Association, American Association for Justice, and the Louisiana Association for Justice where he was a member of the Board of Governors. Frank also served as a House Delegate for the Louisiana State Bar Association. He received Legal Network recognition as one of the top lawyers in Louisiana for high ethical standards and professional excellence and was selected as an Honored Member of Trademark's Who's Who. In 2015 Frank was selected for membership into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a prestigious group of trial lawyers consisting of the top 1% of attorneys in the United States who have attained several results as lead trial counsel exceeding one million dollars per client. In 2016 he received the Lawyers of Distinction award which is extended only to the top 10% of all attorneys in the United States, after undergoing a rigorous vetting process. Most recently, in 2016 Frank received the prestigious Litigator Award which acknowledges and honors only those trial lawyers who have demonstrated remarkable skill and ability in jury trials, for which less than 1% of all lawyers in the United States qualify. A considerable portion of Frank's practice was devoted to acting as lead counsel on cases for other attorneys and his many successful results formed the basis for the professional awards and achievements that he received. Among his other interests, Frank was an instructor at Tulane University's Intersession Litigation Boot Camp. He was a volunteer and mentor at Café Hope, a Marrero program which helps at-risk youth develop careers in the hospitality industry. He served as chairman of the Work Place Advocacy Committee and was a volunteer coach for numerous youth soccer teams. A Memorial Celebration of Frank's Life will be held at Timberlane Country Club, #1 Timberlane Drive, Gretna, Louisiana 70056, on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in the form of checks made payable to Autism Society of Greater New Orleans. All donations will be forwarded at one time in memory of Frank M. Buck, Jr. A memorial box will be in place to drop donations at the time of the service.