Mark W. Buyck Jr., a well-known figure on the National Steeplechase Association circuit who had a particular affinity for Springdale Race Course in his home state of South Carolina, died June 11. He was 91.
A lifelong horseman and former member of the Camden Hunt, Buyck and his then-wife-to-be Julia—to whom he was married for 66 years—were engaged at the Carolina Cup, and counted among his happiest memories when their Arch Kingsley-trained Show Court won the Cup in 2017.
Show Court was a multiple stakes winner, taking the 2018 grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Stakes at Saratoga, along with the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes at the Spa the same year he captured the Carolina Cup.
"Mark had the kind of spirit and good fortune that you would expect of someone who was born on Christmas Day," said Kinglsey. "He was warm and generous with a great sense of humor. He made me feel blessed to train for him. He adored his horses and the sport that came with them. Ours was a strong bond that I will dearly miss. He was passionate about all things Camden, and was a tireless proponent for the return of the Colonial Cup. I know that he used his personal and political capital in support of that effort. The sport will surely miss him as much as I will."
Born Dec. 25, 1934, Mark was the son of Mark Wilson Buyck and Mary Otis Buyck. The Florence resident graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1956 and its law school three years later. He served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force for three years, including spending the first two years of his marriage in Turkey with his wife where their first two children were born. He and Julia were inseparable and shared their numerous life activities together. For more than 60 years, Buyck was an attorney at Willcox, Buyck, and Williams, PA.
He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lt. Colonel; served on the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees for 28 years; 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 USC.
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. 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, S.C., 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 U.S. Attorney for South Carolina, and past chairman of the University of South Carolina Law School Association.
Buyck was admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in South Carolina, the U.S. 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. Buyck was past Cchairman 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.
Additionally, 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, D.C. He was a member of the executive committee of the S.C. 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 S.C. 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 South Carolina tobacco cases during his private practice.
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 S.C. State Ports Authority.
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 was preceded 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; and 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, Fla., and Susan B. Eckstein of Chapin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Florence at 10:00 am, Tuesday, July 16, visitation will be held at the family home Wednesday, July 15. Burial will be following the ceremony at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Memorials may be offered to St. Anthomy's Parish Church, 2536 Hoffmeyer Rd., Florence, SC 29501 or the Hugh L. Willcox, Pro Bono Endowment Fund of the USC School of Law, 1525 Senate St., Columbia, SC 29208.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
