Charles Morris Buchanan, who liked to be called Charley, was born on August 13, 1946, in Bryan, TX to Isaac and Juana Mae Buchanan. He joined his half-brother, Clarence Murphy, in completing the family unit.
In 1954, the family moved to La Jolla, California, to join his aunt, Mabel Bell, who encouraged them to make the move to a better climate where work was plentiful. La Jolla was a small village where the schools, library, recreation center, beach, library, and their church, Greater Prince Chapel AME, were all within walking distance. Charley loved it.
Charley attended La Jolla Elementary, Junior and Senior High Schools, where he excelled in many sports, especially basketball and baseball. According to a 1959 newspaper article, Charley, as a pitcher and a homerun hitter “was a major asset to La Jolla’s Little League team. He led the La Jolla Little League All Stars to the Southern California Championships. The All Stars won the playoffs in Santa Ana, CA.” In 1964, he was CIF Player of the Year in basketball. After high school, he attended San Diego State University where he completed a 4-year degree. He remained a sports fan throughout his life.
After college, he began a career with the City of San Diego in the Operations Department and remained there until he retired.
Charley had an affable personality. He liked meeting people and sharing stories and laughs. He was no stranger to the bar scene in San Diego, La Jolla, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. He was a sharp dresser with tailored suits. One friend described him as a “class act.” At the end of his life, he donated his suits to Second Chance, an organization which helps former inmates to turn their lives around; the suits are needed for court appearances and job interviews.
In 2010, he co-authored a book entitled “La Jolla, California Black Pioneers and Pioneer Descendants: 1880-1974” to document the history of the black settlers. His co-authors were Bettye Brown, Donnie Epps, Catherine Hayek, and Lorenza Taylor-Pace.
Charley passed away on September 13, 2026.
He is survived by cousins in Bryan, TX including Dorothy Buchanan Williams and Lawrence Hicks. He was predeceased by his immediate family and by Charles Edwards, his long-time associate. Special thanks to Gentiva Hospice, Kaiser Permanente home health care, and private caregivers, Resel, Mike, and KB for their kind attention to his needs.
A private service was held in his honor on October 2, 2026, with burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery in San Diego, CA. Preferred Cremation handled the final arrangements.
