Darryl Buck Wheat's Obituary
Darryl Buck Wheat, passed on December 15, 2024, in his Hilo home. It was a Sunday. He was 74 years old. Known to many, in the Hilo community, as Sensei Buck, he started learning judo and jujitsu in 1957 at the age of 7, at Professor Okazaki’s Kodenkan Dojo, where Buck's father, Professor Jack Wheat, also taught the ancient arts. Buck went on to earn Shodan and Nidan and in 1999 was awarded Sandan. In 1993, he opened his dojo in Keaau and continued to teach as an assistant instructor at Higashi Hongwanji. The Hilo-based Japanese Community Association of Hawaii, selected 6 Japanese cultural treasures, one of which was Sensei Buck, who was honored at Japanese Culture Day, or Bunka no Hi. Buck also owned a firearms shop called Buck’s Firearms & Military Surplus. He is survived by his 3 children, Sunny, Jennifer, and Chucky; 2 grandchildren, twins, Michael and Vanessa. Buck is also survived by his sister, Pamela.
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