Elijah Buell Jr

Longtime Southeast Community College professor, Elijah "Lige" Buell, Jr., passed away Thursday afternoon, June 19, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, following a brief illness.

Born in Harlan, KY, on May 13, 1956, to Joyce Osborne Buell and the late Elijah "Lige" Buell, Sr., Lige grew up in Dayton, OH, where he graduated from Stebbins High School. There, he excelled academically, athletically, and musically as a member of the band. He earned a football scholarship to Hanover College in Indiana, where he completed his degree in Business, followed by an MBA from Morehead State University in Kentucky.

Lige dedicated 45 years of his life to Southeast Community College, where he served as a beloved business professor, department chair, Interim Chief Academic Officer, and twice as a faculty-elected member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents. For the past eight years, he led the Cumberland Campus—and served as Interim Director for the Harlan Campus—with strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment. His presence in Harlan County was deeply valued, and he remained a steadfast advocate for both campuses.

A colleague said, “His impact on Southeast and the communities we serve is immeasurable. Lige was not only a pillar of our college, but a model of steady leadership and unwavering commitment to education. His legacy lives on in the lives he changed and the many who were fortunate to work alongside him.”

Lige’s devotion to the Cumberland, KY, community was equally profound. He was a proud member of the Tri Cities Heritage Corporation (Main Street) and a longtime member of VFW Post 5171. He wore an American flag pin daily, vowing not to remove it until every soldier returned home.

A passionate University of Kentucky Wildcats fan, Lige held season football tickets for decades and was a founding member of the “Harlan County Boys” tailgate crew in the Blue Lot, alongside his close friend Tim Howard. He also enjoyed golf as a member of Lynch Country Club and Sleepy Hollow Country Club, and he found joy in gardening—even when the wildlife claimed the harvest. He was an avid horse racing enthusiast, making annual trips to Keeneland, and he loved music of all kinds, especially country and rock, as well as sunsets on the beach.

Lige was preceded in death by his father, Elijah "Lige" Buell, Sr.; his sister, Elizabeth Ann "Libby" Buell Cornett; and his brother, Michael Anthony Buell.

He is survived by his beloved mother, Joyce Ann Buell; his significant other of 13 years, Dana Henry Best; his nieces, nephews, including 2 special nephews, Keston Kyle (Christy) Sturgill and Aaron Ross Buell; extended family, and many cherished friends. Among them were two lifelong friends who were like brothers—Bill Watts and John Standridge—who stood by him through every season of life.

 A service to celebrate Lige’s life will be held on Thursday, June 26, at 1:00 p.m. in the Reecie and Martha Stagnolia Gallery at the Godbey Appalachian Center on the Cumberland Campus. In honor of Lige’s love for UK, the family invites attendees to wear blue.

 A private burial will follow at Park Howard Cemetery in Wallins, KY.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Elijah “Lige” Buell Memorial Scholarship, benefiting students from Harlan County pursuing higher education.

 To give online, visit: https://alumni.kctcs.edu/g/give-to-skctc and select “Buell Scholarship.” Donations may also be mailed to: Southeast Education Foundation, 700 College Rd., Cumberland, KY 40823.

 To share a memory or leave a condolence, please visit: http://www.aljfh.com 

 To view the college’s memorial tribute on Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1aAo8P81Bt/ 

 Elijah "Lige" Buell, Jr., and his family are in the care of Anderson-Laws & Jones Funeral Home.