" We regret to record the death of Mr James Leonard Buchanan, which occurred suddenly at Warkworth on January 16th, aged 58. Mr Buchanan was the only son of the late James and M. J. Buchanan,of Lower Matakana, where he was born and where he spent the greater part of his life. In the year 1916 he married Miss Heien Mary Thomson, younger daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Lachlan Thomson, of Warkworth. Six years later he acquired farm property on the Woodcocks Road, Warkworth, where he resided up till tho lime of his death. For several years Mr Buchanan was the proprietor of the husiness known as the Warkworth Bakery, which he acquired in 1936. He took a prominent part in many public activities, and was ever willing to assist any deserving cause. He was associated with the Rodney Agricultural Society for many years, and at one time was an enthusiastic memher of the Rodney Golf Club. As a memher of the Presbyterian Church he acted for a period on the committee and also as its treasurer. For almost two years he was a memher of the Warkworth Patriotic Executive Committee and in addition, chairman of the Warkworth Patriotic Entertainment Committee. He was a member of the Rodney Battalion Home Guard and for some months hefore his death he had been acting as custodian of one of the military camps. Preceded by a short service at his late residence, the funeral, with military honours, took place at the Presbyterian Cemetery last Monday afternoon. It was largely attended, the mourners including a fine muster of Home Guard comrades and Independent Mounted Riflemen, who provided a firing party. The Rev. J. A. Reilly officiated at the graveside.

[Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 20 January 1943, Page 3]