Avila Beach woman who died in flood remembered as loving, strong and ‘feisty’
Karen Buccat got to the Port San Luis Pier in Avila Beach at 4 a.m. on Jan. 9 — she needed to make sure the fish at Buccat Fish, a family business owned by her brother, were able to stay alive during the expected storm.
That’s just one example of the kind of person she was, her brother, Chris Buccat, told The Tribune. She always prioritized protecting the family business, and routinely went above and beyond to do so.
She left the port mid-morning to get batteries for the generators before she planned to return for breakfast at her sister’s house in Avila Beach.
She never made it to breakfast, and when she was on her way back on Avila Beach Road near Sycamore Mineral Springs around 12:30, her car was overtaken by floodwaters, and the 60-year-old was found dead in her vehicle, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.
She is survived by six siblings, two kids and three grandchildren — all who love her endlessly.
Well-known member of Port San Luis fishing community
Karen Buccat was funny and feisty — in the best way — her sisters Patty and Bonita Herreria told The Tribune.
She loved food, and she wasn’t afraid to tell the truth if someone made food that wasn’t up to par, Patty said with a laugh.
“You got to know her to love her, and you will love her, definitely,” Bonita said. “She put an impact on the community here.”
You couldn’t work at Port San Luis and not know who Karen was, her family told The Tribune. She was always at the pier — keeping fish alive, bartering with fishermen, and even babysitting their children at 5 a.m. so they could fish.
She lived in Avila Beach and raised her kids here.
She wasn’t only dedicated to the fishing business her brother owned, but was also committed to the fishing community at Port San Luis.
Each month, she made a new photo collage of the fishing community that would display at the pier.
“She took care of everybody,” Chris Buccat said. “She was always here for me.”
Karen’s daughter Tory Mercer described her mother as a “very hard-working, loving and sensitive person.”
She said her mother went out of her way to make sure she and her brother were taken care of and “would give someone the shirt off her back.”
Her mother once gave a friend the necklace she was wearing because they had complimented it.
“This was just who she was naturally,” Mercer said. “As loving and sensitive as she was, she was just as strong.”
When Karen won a battle against cancer, she kept her boundless energy throughout the process, Mercer said.
“Our mother taught us to never give up, no matter what life throws at you. Family came first and always,” Mercer said. “She did her best to be present for everyone, rain or shine. She loved to be behind the scenes and cheer for us as our biggest fan.”
Karen Buccat’s life will be honored Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Avila Beach Community Center. Memorial services will be scheduled in Bakersfield at a later date.
To help Karen’s family travel and pay for memorial expenses, donate to their GoFundMe at gofund.me/85bdc7d3.
This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Avila Beach woman who died in flood remembered as loving, strong and ‘feisty’."
