Nicky “Nick” Michael Buchanan

December 12, 1950 – November 12, 2025

Nicky “Nick” Michael Buchanan, 74, of Mossyrock, Washington, passed away suddenly at home on November 12, 2025, on the ranch he loved. He was with his wife, Mary, in the place he always said he wanted to be. Nick often joked, “The only way they’ll ever get me off this hill is feet-first,” and in the end, that wish was honored.

Nick was born on December 12, 1950, in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, to Ralph and Della (Benfield) Buchanan. He was 16 when his mother passed away—a loss that profoundly shaped him. At 22, he suffered another heartbreak when his father was killed in an auto accident. Those early losses made him grow up fast and lean on the strength he found in work, nature, and family.

Shortly after his mother’s passing, Nick left high school and lived with two friends in the woods. They cut cedar shake bolts to make money and lived in a handmade lean-to, built off a stump near a creek. It was a rough, simple life, but one Nick often remembered with quiet fondness. Those days taught him independence, survival, and the grounding power of nature. One of the young men he lived with was known only by his nickname, “Half-A-Duck”—a reminder that in Nick’s world, everyone had a nickname, and he never forgot any of them.

Nick spent his entire career in the logging industry and was highly respected as a yarder engineer. His CB handle was “Triple Drum”. Known for his steady hands, sharp instincts, and unmatched skill, he earned the trust of crews who quite literally placed their lives in his hands. He survived more than a few dangerous moments on the job. In the late 1970’s, Nick toppled a brand-new yarder when the guy-lines anchoring the tower failed and the machine went crashing down. When the dust settled, he kicked the window out and crawled out the machine with his lunchbox in hand and exclaimed, “Well, I haven’t even had my lunch yet”! It was a miracle that he survived, virtually unscathed.

Nick was also well known throughout the region as one of the best hound hunters around. Running hounds for bear, cougar, and bobcat was one of his greatest passions, and some of his happiest days were spent in the woods with a dog box in the back of his truck and a good fresh track to run. For his children, being invited to go along was a rare and treasured privilege. He always took just one at a time, there were rules — but those quiet, cold, early-morning hunts became some of the most meaningful “dad and me” memories they ever carried.

On January 1, 1971, Nick married Mary (Sill), beginning what would become a partnership of 54 years. They first met on a double date — only they weren’t each other’s dates that night. Somewhere along the way, Nick found himself more interested in Mary than the girl he had brought, and Mary realized she felt the same. Soon after, Nick ended things with his girlfriend so he could ask Mary out, and Mary broke up with her boyfriend so she could say yes — much to her friend’s irritation at the time. Their first official date was the evening of Mary’s high school graduation, when Nick picked her up and gave her a transistor radio as a gift. From that night on, they were inseparable, engaged four months later and married four months after that.

Their marriage was shaped by humor, teasing, shared work, and loyalty that ran deep. Nick had nicknames for Mary and a way of poking at her just to coax a smile. He expressed love through steadiness, presence, and the simple everyday acts that spoke louder than words. Mary loved him with her whole heart, and she stood by him through every season of life. In his final moments, she did everything humanly possible for him — a testament to the devotion she carried for more than five decades.

Together they raised four children and built a family grounded in hard work and unwavering commitment. Nick was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and his family remained the center of his world.

Nick built his life with his hands. He owned his own logging business and spent years running hounds, trapping, clam digging, fishing, mushroom picking, and doing just about anything that took him outdoors. In the late 1980s, he and Mary built their family home out on Lincoln Creek, board-by-board, before eventually selling it and settling on their 90-acre ranch outside Mossyrock. There, they raised cattle, and Nick ran a small sawmill, taking great pride in cutting lumber for family and friends. He sawed out the lumber for at least ten cabins in his lifetime. Most recently, he began building a small cabin—his “man cave”—on the back portion of the ranch, and the family will make sure this project is finished. In later years, he developed a passion for mining and owned a gold claim in Eastern Oregon. The woods, the dirt, and the mountains were where he felt most at peace.

For more than twenty years, the Buchanan family gathers every Labor Day weekend to celebrate together. For the last nine of those years, Nick and Mary have proudly hosted the gathering at their ranch, creating memories cherished by all.

Nick is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary (Sill) Buchanan, of Mossyrock, WA; his children, Mike (Jenn) Buchanan of Colstrip, MT, Lesa Givens (Ray Watson) of Winlock, WA, Kimberly (Dustin) Kersavage of Coos Bay, OR, and Matt (Stephanie) Buchanan of Centralia, WA; his grandchildren, Kara (Aaron) Ludwig, Jacob (Shayla) Givens, Nicole Kersavage, Garrett Kersavage, Emma Buchanan, Madison Buchanan, and Asa Buchanan; and his great-granddaughter, Addison Murray.

He is also survived by his siblings, Ben Leonard (Polly) Buchanan, Cliff (Jeannie) Buchanan, and Kay Bond; his sister-in-law, Shirley Buchanan (wife of his late brother, Ken); and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Ken Buchanan; his brother-in-law, Ed Bond and his niece-in-law, Kelsey Buchanan, whom he loved dearly.

Nick will be remembered for his resilience, quiet strength, deep devotion to his family, and his lifelong connection to the land he worked and loved. His presence, his stories, and the steady way he moved through the world will be missed beyond measure.

Arrangements are under the direction of Cattermole Funeral Home in Winlock. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, December 7, at 1:00 p.m. at the Chehalis Moose Lodge, 1400 Grand Avenue, Centralia, Washington.