Westmoreland County PA Archives Obituaries.....Buncie, Joseph M., Sr. August 31, 2004
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Greensburg Tribune August 2004
Joseph M. Buncie Sr., who was Greensburg Salem's band director for 21 years, had a
love of music and teaching music that lasted throughout his life. Mr. Buncie, 69, of
Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Hempfield Township, died Aug. 31, 2004, in Fort Myers.
"He taught until the day he died. He loved his family and loved music, which he
passed on to his children and grandchildren. We're all doing something related to
music and performing," said his daughter Cassandra Jo Ann Buncie.
Mr. Buncie was born Sept. 12, 1934, in Whitney, the son of Katherine Buncie, of
Latrobe. He graduated from Derry Area High School in 1952, where he was a member of
the Derry band and vice president of the band association. After graduating in 1956
from St. Vincent College, near Latrobe, with a degree in music education, he began
teaching in upstate New York and began working with a drum and bugle corps. With his
carefully crafted musical arrangements, Mr. Buncie was able to lead the corps to
many national championships and solidify his reputation for developing winning
bands. Tenyears after graduating from college, he took a position at Kiski Area High
School, where he ushered in the concept of molding a high school marching band into
a Drum Corps International-style performance, which Cassandra Buncie characterized
as being a flashier style of drill performance on the football field. He brought
that style of marching band performance to western Pennsylvania, she said. He taught
briefly at Mt. Pleasant Area High School and Yough High School before bringing his
teaching, judging and musical arrangement writing to Greensburg Salem High School in
1972. Under his direction, the Greensburg Salem marching band won countless
championships, awards and honors, Cassandra Buncie said. During its heyday, the band
had about 250 members.
Although Mr. Buncie's children attended the Hempfield Area School District,
Cassandra said her sister Rebecca transferred to Greensburg Salem High School so she
could perform in the band under her father's direction. Michael Altman, of
Greensburg, a volunteer assistant under Mr. Buncie, recalled that Mr. Buncie was a
very good band director. "He basically brought the band back to a
drum-and-bugle-corps style," Altman said. He retired from Greensburg Salem in 1993,
and he and his wife moved to Fort Myers, Fla., in 1994. "It was a dream (of his) to
see the Florida sunset every night," CassandraBuncie said. Although he retired to
Florida, he did not remain retired from music. He started playing the trombone again
and played as a member of church and musical groups. His love of music and students
led him to teach in a Florida public school, and then the Fort Myers Christian
School. He also was working with the staff at the Florida Brass Alumni Drum and
Bugle Corps, where he was writing, arranging and instructing the brass line. Despite
living in Florida for 10 years, Mr. Buncie remained a "die-hard Steelers fan," his
daughter said.
In addition to his mother, Mr. Buncie is survived by his wife of 34 years, Janet M.
LaVella Buncie; his son, Joseph Michael Buncie Jr., of Richmond, Va.; three
daughters, Rebecca Cugliari, of Neshanic Station, N.J., Vikki Jo Gilmore, of
Pittsburgh, and Cassandra Jo Ann Buncie, of Fort Myers, Fla.; two grandsons, Eric
Buncie and Joseph Cugliari; three granddaughters, Alissa Cugliari, Amanda Gilmore
and Sarah Gilmore; and his beloved toy fox terrier, "Jake."
Visitation was held Monday and the funeral will be at noon today at the Joseph W.
Nickels Funeral Home Inc., 404 Sewickley Ave., Herminie, with the Rev. James
Vreeland officiating. Interment will follow in Westmoreland County Memorial Park.

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