Fred "Buck" Flankey, of Clarksville, Tennessee passed away peacefully Dec. 16, 2022. He was born Jan. 17, 1938, in Virginia, Minnesota to Fred and Virginia Flankey. Fred graduated from Mountain Iron High School in 1957. He married Beverly Samppala in Mountain Iron. They were married 63 years. Fred served in the National Guard for eight years and worked as draftsman for two years before getting a degree in teaching. He taught elementary education in Cloquet for 26 years. He was a coach for the Cloquet rifle team for many years. After retiring from teaching, he continued his hobby of carpentry while living on Lake Vermilion. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and being outdoors. Fred and Beverly lived in Minnesota until 2007, when they moved to Tennessee to be closer to their grandchildren.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; siblings Virginia Saari and Susan Wilson; and brothers-in-law, Mike Golden and Dwight Wilson. He will be missed by his wife, Beverly; children, Steve (Laurie) Flankey, Todd (Carrie) Flankey and Dale Flankey; sisters Kathy Golden and Laura (Duane) Lahde; granddaughters, Stacy (Eric) Scism and Amber (Stephen) Owens; and four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Fred's life will be held in Minnesota in the spring.

Pine Knot News, Jan. 13, 2023