Texas Newspaper Foundation

Walter Buckel served as president of the Texas Press Association in 1985-86 and as president of West Texas Press Association in 1983-84.

Buckel entered the newspaper business in 1967 when he purchased the Dawson County Free Press in Lamesa.

In March 1968, Buckel merged his newspaper with the Lamesa Reporter, owned by James Roberts of Andrews. The Roberts group named Buckel president and publisher of the Lamesa Press Reporter.

Prior to his work in newspapers, Buckel spent seven years in radio sales and management. Before that, he worked for Lamesa public schools directing cafeterias and transportation.

He also ran for county clerk and won two-year and four-year terms before resigning in 1957 to enter the insurance business. During this period, Buckel had his own daily radio sports program and was a play-by-play announcer of all sports.

He played a summer of amateur baseball in Manhattan, Kan., and for the Lamesa Lobos of the Class D, West Texas-New Mexico League. His career then included stints at Pampa and Idaho Falls (Idaho) before he was called into service with the U.S. Air Force.

After two years overseas, as a radio operator in North Africa, he was discharged in November 1945.

Buckel played with the Montgomery (Ala.) Rebels of the Class B, Southeastern League, the Dallas Rebels of the Texas League and then Lubbock and Lamesa where he became the team’s business manager.

Buckel married Rubye Neile Mitchell in March 1947. They had two children.