I don't know if anyone even visits here anymore, but these are what I call "Archieisms"

In response to "How are you today?"

I'm plumb damn adorable. I tried precious yesterday but nobody believed it. 

Oh, not too bad. I ain't been arrested or run out of town. 

Well, God loves me and my wife's trying to

When asked about our children 

I have the most wonderful children in the world. On the days I don't want to kill them, I love them a lot!

On Harriet 

Sometimes I wish she wasn't my mother so I could enjoy her half as much as other people 

On everything else 

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill and they're all molehills. 

Love and miss you tremendously ♥️

I learned how to make something out of nothing from Archie. I’ve never had to worry about how to survive in the wild because he showed me and my brothers how to look for animals, what leaves you could eat, when to build a lean-to or a full shelter. I never actually saw the animals and I’m dubious about the leaves, but the man could build a shelter out of anything. Hardware store? No need. We can just knit some trees together and fill in the gaps with mud and pine straw.

There was never a time when I didn’t know Archie. It is said that he showed up at our house in a diaper holding a banana when he was but a tot. Whether that is true or not, I can say for sure that he was always there. I saw him as a brother just like Hamp. He treated  me just as  Hamp did. As the little sister , he would be both kind to me and annoyed by me.  

I was thrilled he wrote his fictitious stories of growing up . The Big Ditch was very real . Being from a pre-internet world , we could turn the big ditch , (which was a sewer )into a magical place. . I remember his motorized wagon, too. Legend has it that he and Hamp  tried to pass a school bus one morning on their way to school Mind you, they were very young. They were like first graders.  That was the end of that. 

Archie was both  imaginative and engaging. His creativity was surely inspired by his mother, Harriett ,(a legend in her own right). . . As I said , he was always there in our home. In our home,  there were always sing alongs. We children sang them with glee. Archie sang aloud, remembering every lyric. Favorites were an old folk song, “I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago”, and every branch song of the US military . We would sing these songs on the way to the mountains where we traveled every summer . And of course ,Archie was always there. For about seven summers we would stay about six weeks in and around Boone, NC.  Mama enrolled us in Appalachian  State’s summer school for kids. . The last three years we stayed in Valle Crusis.  That was before Mast General Store was commercialized. We stayed in a cabin down the road from it . It sold everything from licorice to caskets . It was our playground . We picked cherries , caught tad poles , listened to Jack Tales. There was a river in the back of the cabin and we stayed there  most of the day until Daddy would play reveille to call us in. Archie and Hamp had bunk beds by the fireplace where they would read at night by the fire. There were a host of characters we knew on that mountain. Hamp and Archie got in trouble when their Mullins third grade teacher came to visit  We took her to a local square dance and this old  mountain man fell for her. He told Archie and Hamp he would pay them if they would let him know when she was back at our house. THEY DID JUST THAT! She got wind of it and left. Shortly afterwards, the old man came down the road dressed to the nines riding the side of a garage truck . My parents were not pleased .Hamp and Archie got demerits for that.! 

I didn’t see Archie much after our childhood .I moved out of state . Hamp would keep me posted . Hamp loved Elleanor and the kids. Hamp told me that Archie came up to DC to see him.. Hamp’s girlfriend pleaded with Archie to eat his vegetables. They were his friends. Archie said that he didn’t eat his friends! 

I was thinking as I write this that , our family are the only ones who  know us best in our early formative years.. With Archie’s passing, it is like losing that last connection to my own  family. He was , as he said himself, always there. 

Archie, you were so creative and so much fun . I’m so glad that for a moment and time in the universe you were there in my life . I hope I see you and Hamp in my dreams. Love you boys❤️

.  Love to all the Buchan family. Thank you for letting Hamp be an honorary member as Archie was in our’s. ❤️

It has taken me quite a while to post something in regards to Archie’s passing. It is hard to sum up how impactful he was on my life. I know others felt his impact. What a remarkable human being in every way imaginable. Not only was he a man of vision, he was able to bring the visions of others to life. When we wanted to build a fort, Archie showed us how to do it without using tools. I remember watching him slowly weave together branches and fill in the gaps with dirt and pine straw. It was like something out of another time. If it’s not already a quote, I’m making it one. “What are three things you would bring with you to a desert island? Well, if you bring Uncle Archie, you won’t need anything.” I remember long conversations with him about books and the animated way he described the stories. The man seemed to be fascinated with life, and that’s something I’ve always tried to emulate. His sense of humor was a joyous thing, and that’s another way he influenced my life. I always try to find the humor in every situation. I normally find words coming quite easily, but Archie was a portrait in contrasts. Simple but complex. Practical yet imaginative. Uncle Sean said the term Renaissance Man was in direct reference to Archie, and you won’t find me disagreeing. One of my favorite people of all time and I’ll never, ever forget him. 

I am so sorry that I will not be able to attend. He was quite a guy, and he is missed. 

It's been 6 months to the day since you left us. It feels like an eternity and also the blink of an eye. I miss you fiercely ♥️

Happy Birthday my love! Things are not getting easier and I miss you terribly. 

I've been thinking about car rides, specifically when we were all bored and grouchy and you would load us all into the car and we'd just drive. No plan, no destination just riding around playing car games and singing songs. We'd come to a juncture and you'd ask the children to pick a number, which would determine which way we'd go. Lots of laughter and great fun! Thank you for that ♥️♥️

Happy Anniversary my love. I remembered!

Such a remarkable summary of the life of one of the most unique individuals we’ve ever encountered! I fondly remember your wedding when, out of nowhere, Archie, clutching a cigarette, out Sinatra’d Sinatra, crooning, in a one-of-a-kind baritone, a love song to his new bride! I’d never attended a wedding where I witnessed anything like it; and, damn, he was good! Actor, writer, politician, storyteller, comedian, teacher, outdoorsman, dad, husband, AND singer!?!?!? And I’m sure there’s more roles/titles to add to the list! I do believe the phrase “Renaissance Man” was coined just for Archie. May the so-many incredible memories that you and the kids have help you all to get through this extremely difficult time. Love, Sean and Tina☘️🍀☘️🍀

Archie and I were married in October of 1989. We always joked with one another about the fact that it felt like we'd always been married. We celebrated our first anniversary in Florence. John-Smith was a little over a month old and my parents babysat. I can say with confidence that was the last anniversary we actually remembered. On our third anniversary my father called. Archie answered the phone. My father: "Do you know what day it is?" Archie: "Tuesday". My father: "Boy, are you in trouble." Archie (yells to me): "Honey, do you know what day it is?" Me: "Tuesday" Archie: "I think I'm good".

That's pretty much how it went our entire marriage. If it weren't for my parents calling, or my Aunt Ann (god bless her) sending a card, we would have forgotten every year! It was the only proof we needed that we were meant to be together.

I had almost 34 years with Archie...most of them wonderful. I will miss him more than words can express. My best friend, marvelous husband and truly extraordinary father. 

Archie

I met Archie the night he and my Aunt Eleanor performed in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" at Coastal Carolina maybe in 88'. They both had starring roles in the play. I was captivated by how well spoken he was in the play, it was my first time seeing a play and it was the BEST play I had ever seen since. They came to my grandparents home that night and we were introduced to Archie. The whole night he was telling us the funniest stories ever. Each story he'd improvise a different dialect or accent. He had me rolling the whole night, literally tears were rolling down my face. Ever since that night and every time we would meet up with Uncle Archie and Aunt Eleanor, he would tell more stories and more jokes. His favorite of mine was his "hair lip" jokes. If you know than you know. Lol They were priceless. He was the kindest, funniest man I'd ever come across and probably ever will. He will be greatly missed by all and I'm so grateful he was in my life. I'll miss ya buddy. Rest Easy and we love ya Uncle Archie.

So sorry to get the news of Archie's 'moving on'.  At Mullins High he was a substitute teacher of mine. he and Susan had just married and moved back to Mullins.  He was a force to be reckoned with and immediately took me under his wing and allowed me to help them get settled in.... He pushed me to be in the Mullins Playmakers and was my 'father' in their production of "Life with Father"!!  Somehow in that brief moment of my life he became a great influence and mentor.  Forever grateful to have been associated with him for that brief  time.  Through him got to know his mom "Ms Harriet" a real force of her own.  Later the Cockfields in Lake City have become part of my 'chosen' family and Elams in VA as well.  Regrets for never re-connecting, but reading his books now!   Clay Spivey