Richard "Rich" Fleming Buddine

November 28, 1937 - April 13, 2022

Richard “Rich” Fleming Buddine 84 of Bristol, VA passed away Wednesday April 13, 2022 Rich served in the United States Army from 1960 -1962 including an 18-month tour of duty in the Panama Canal Zone. Rich graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in 1965. In 1965, Rich began his extensive career in television news at stations across North Carolina as a photographer, reporter, news anchor and news director before joining the WCYB-TV Bristol, VA sales team in June of 1974 and retiring there in 2005. Rich was an avid photographer winning multiple ribbons in local photography contests. He enjoyed gardening and spending time in the mountains of East Tennessee, SW Virginia, and Western North Carolina and was also a military and history buff. Rich was a member of South Bristol United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents Norman and Dorothy Buddine and his brother Ted Buddine and is survived by his wife Jane Hartley Buddine of Bristol, VA, stepchildren Scott Burnette and wife Tera, Bekki Burnette Hansen and husband Jeff, step grandchildren Matthew Burnette and Brandon Burnette and step great grandchildren Sebastian Burnette and Magnolia Burnette. A memorial service will be planned at a later date. Condolences and memories may be left for the family at akardfuneralhome.com Akard Funeral Home, (423) 989-4800 is honored to be serving the Buddine family.