Mary Margaret Buchanan

Mary Buchanan passed away on October 3, 2026, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. She was born on March 10, 1947, in the mountains of Frenchburg, Kentucky, to Waverly and Delta Buchanan. Her spirit craved the great outdoors, and she followed her father's advice daily: going outside and being with nature helps solve all your problems.

Mary graduated from nursing school with the highest GPA in her class. She worked as a registered nurse until her retirement, at Humana, Good Samaritan, Mary Chiles, and Clark Regional hospitals, caring for countless patients and their families along the way. She was a member of the Montgomery County Historical Society and the Cattlemen's Association, a sustaining member of KET, and attended Gateway Christian Church.

In her downtime, she loved UK basketball (when they were winning), watching PBS daily because it was informative, and working every crossword puzzle she could find to keep her mind sharp. True to her love of the outdoors, gardening and making her yard pretty warmed her soul. If you really knew Mary, you already know about her love of travel. She visited all 50 states and wandered through so many of Europe's historic cities with her friends. She loved the adventure and knowledge waiting around every corner. She lived life to the fullest, and while she loved being at home, her greatest desire was to see everything the world had to offer.

Above all, she loved her children and being a mom and grandmother. And she was without question the best momma. She loved us all fiercely. She taught us to be strong, because life isn't fair; to be loving, because family is all that matters; and to be giving, because you get back out of this world what you put into it. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy.

Even in her passing, Mary took care of her children by organizing everything that needed to be done afterward. In the documents she left us, she admitted that she "drove everyone crazy with her constant cleaning and organizing." We are so incredibly grateful for that lifelong habit, because we have never had to guess what her wishes were.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Doris Fox and Phylis Catching; and a nephew, George Buchanan Hunter.

She is survived by her daughters, Teresa (Ryan) Rose and Jill (Chris) Champlin; three grandchildren, Lauren Rose (Derek Jones), Hannah Champlin, and Doren Champlin; two sisters, Faye Buchanan and Dorothy Hunter; two nieces, Heather Fox and Susan Ramirez; a nephew, Danny DeAngulo and countless friends who she loved dearly. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Mary was a very private person, and the family will hold a small, intimate graveside service at a later date.

A special thank you to Tiffany Huffman of Bluegrass Care Navigators, the entire nursing team at UK St. Claire Hospice, and the family of caregiver Kathy Back for helping us through this most devastating yet beautiful journey with our mother.

In lieu of flowers, please forward any memories you would like to share of Mary to her children for comfort. We've so enjoyed hearing from the friends who loved her too. Please mail to: Teresa Rose, 2520 Sungale Court, Lexington, KY 40513 email: tdrose145@gmail.com.