Our family is saddened to announce the passing of Daniel Stephen Buford on December 22, 2018. Known to his family, friends and business associates as "Dan", he was a loving and selfless husband and father of three children. He was 81.

Dan was born on May 22, 1937 in Bowlegs, Oklahoma to Samuel Garvey Buford and Anna Lou Honeycutt. After graduating from Tulsa Will Rogers High School in 1955, he attended Oklahoma A & M College for three years at which time he enrolled at the University of Tulsa School Of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1961.  During law school Dan worked for Sun Oil Company as a land man, acquiring oil and gas leases for his employer. This was yet another example of his entrepreneurial spirit that began as a young boy with a newspaper route and a firecracker stand, then several, as he hired many neighborhood boys to help him expand his businesses.  Public service was also a part of his amazing life, starting with becoming an Eagle Scout.  In addition, upon his graduation from law school, he served in the United States Air Force, receiving an honorable discharge on April 30, 1963.

Shortly thereafter, he married Della Jane Dunkin on June 12, 1963.  They raised two sons, Stephen and Sam, and one daughter, Sharon, during a thirteen year marriage.  While practicing law through the early 1980's, Dan continued to spend a considerable portion of his time buying and developing commercial real estate projects, namely the Beacon and Pythian buildings on South Boulder Avenue in downtown Tulsa. The late 1970's and early 1980's saw Dan transition from practicing law into the long term healthcare business as an owner of nursing homes and assisted living centers.  He steadily grew his health care business interests over the next two decades, and began yet another new phase in his life in the local banking industry in the mid 1990's.  At the time of his death, he was an owner and director of Security Bank in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  In addition to banking, he built a luxury hotel and resort in Sarasota, Florida with his brother C. Robert, while continually helping his three children start and expand their ranching and farming interests in Oklahoma.  The latter was his real business passion in his life, as he tirelessly worked to help grow Buford Ranches, L.L.C.. His motivation to do so stemmed from his desire to see his children succeed in whatever field their interests took them.  Going against conventional thinking, he continually and without reservation gave each of his three children as much rope and responsibility as each wanted to chew off, all the while having complete faith in their abilities to figure out a way to make it work.  Perhaps his best attribute was his ability to successfully surround himself with hard working, honest people, many of whom he gave or financed ownership interests in his various businesses.  Of particular note, he held his inner office employees in the highest regard.  His successes allowed him the ability to generously give to others less fortunate, help others with higher educational expenses and donate to numerous non-profit organizations.

Dan is survived by his wife of sixteen years, Kay Stone Buford.  Having first met when Dan was still practicing law, he and Kay shared many happy years together before marrying on July 1, 2002.  In addition, he is survived by his son Stephen and his fiancé Dana Kennedy, his son Sam and his wife Kirsten, as well as his daughter Sharon Linsenmeyer and her husband Rodney.  He is also survived by his six grandchildren: Audrey and Jacob Buford and Emma, Cate, Hannah and Henry Linsenmeyer.  They were his greatest joy, as he loved to attend as many of their activities as possible. In addition, he is survived by his brother C. Robert Buford and his wife Martha, of Wichita, Kansas. He is predeceased by his parents, Anna Lou and Sam G. Buford, fondly known to us as "Pop" and "Sissie", and his two black labs, "Pig" and "Chase".

Dan's most sincere desire throughout his life was that his three children find true happiness in their lives, regardless of whatever path each child chose.  If that resulted in being business partners together, then to him that would be even better.  He always reiterated that we could accomplish so much more if we stayed together.  While maintaining different personal interests, our family has a desire to heed his advice and work together to build upon what he started.

A memorial service to honor Dan's life will be held on Friday, December 28, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in the Mason Chapel, located at 6767 South Mingo Road in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A reception will follow the service.  Friends can honor Dan's memory with a contribution to the American Cancer Society, 6525 North Meridian Avenue, suite 110, Oklahoma City, OK 73116.

We love you and miss you so much,

Kay, Stephen, Sam and Sharon



Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151