Anne Lee Hill Buchanan, 75, died Sunday, June 1, 2014 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Anne was the daughter of William J. Hill and Eleanor Cave Hill. She was born in Charleston, S.C. on September 28, 1938. She graduated from Moultrie High School in Mt. Pleasant and received her Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Charleston. She later earned a Masters of Arts Degree from Webster University. She was one of the first principal dancers with the Charleston Civic Ballet Company with which she performed and taught for approximately six years.
Anne taught advanced English at St. Andrew’s High School in Charleston for several years, then with her husband, Dr. Paul Buchanan, moved to Houston, Texas where he was employed by NASA. In Houston, Anne began work with Boeing Aerospace Division supporting three Skylab missions and early planning for the Space Shuttle. When her husband was transferred to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Anne continued her work with Boeing there.  With maturing shuttle flights and scientific payloads, she was classified as an Engineer, overseeing payload preparation for flight.
Anne was a skilled martial artist, attaining the rank of 5th Dan or 5th degree Black Belt in Aikido, which she studied and taught for over 35 years. She was awarded the designation Fukushidoin, an instructor in Aikido. Anyone who saw her graceful but very powerful moves on the dojo practice mat was impressed. Her work with the “jo”, a 50-inch wooden staff was frighteningly strong as well as extraordinarily graceful.
Anne held a Private Pilot’s license, was a creative and talented seamstress, and was a writer and editor of professional quality.
Anne is survived by her husband Paul, his sons Michael and Brad Buchanan, daughters Cathy Michelle Buchanan and Margo Friedman-Buchanan, and by her brother William J. Hill, Jr.
She had too much to give and was too young to leave us.
She is loved and painfully missed.
Memorial gifts to the Gibbs Cancer Center Research Division in Spartanburg, S.C. will be appreciated. Spartanburg Regional Foundation; 101 East Wood Street; Spartanburg SC 29303.
An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com.
– McFarland Funeral Chapel