John "Jay" Joseph Buckley Jr

John J. "Jay" Buckley Jr., 73, of Great Falls made his transition from this life on February 16, 2026.

Jay was born in Wolf Point, Montana on May 1, 1952. He was the third of four children of Jack and Alice Buckley. He graduated high school in Golden, Colorado, and earned a B.A. degree summa cum laude in Business and Management from Regis University. His career in telecommunications took him to Bozeman, Billings, and Denver. During 1989-1997, he became an international telecommunications consultant, helping to set up phone services in New Zealand and achieving dual citizenship during that process. He returned to Denver in 1997. His long-term goal of returning to his Montana roots to establish a small sustainable organic farm became reality in 2006 when he and his wife Kathy Megel moved to riverfront acreage on the banks of the Missouri River, a few miles south of Great Falls. Their venture was named "Organic Heaven," it subsequently provided sumptuous produce to health food stores in Helena and Great Falls and generous donations of healthy food to the Boys and Girls Club of Cascade County.

Jay always lit up the room with his welcoming smile and handsome, commandeering presence. He will be long remembered for his love of gardening, travel, gourmet cooking, hunting, fishing, tending a flock of happy, free-ranging chickens (the "girls"), woodworking, reading, and beekeeping. He especially enjoyed mentoring young people, whether about sustainability and growing their own produce at Westside Orchard Garden or by offering business advice to a new generation of entrepreneurs in conjunction with

S.C.O.R.E. (Service Corps of Retired Executives).

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Megel; sisters, Leslie Buckley, Lynne Ferguson, and Jaime Broda; son-in-law David Tirado (Lynsey); grandchildren, Zack, Hailey, Jacob, Maddie, Carson, and Mason.

Friends may best honor Jay's life by growing an heirloom tomato plant this Spring.

At Jay's request there will be no formal services. The historic ARCH Bridge in Great Falls will be illuminated on Friday, May 1, to celebrate his first birthday in Heaven. An informal gathering of family and friends will take place at the south entrance of the ARCH Bridge (901 River Dr N) at 7:30 pm on May 1.