Erin Buckley

Erin Flashner Buckley passed peacefully at her home at the age of 38 years old on the early morning of September 6, 2021 after a nearly decade-long battle with brain cancer. Though her tumor––an anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma––was a death sentence, she powered through treatment after treatment with unwavering optimism and self-advocacy that extended her life well beyond her doctor’s expectations. Her strong will was just one of the many wonderful attributes of Erin.
Erin is daughter of the late Michael S. Buckley and granddaughter of the late Doris and Rudolph Flashner of New Orleans. She is survived by her mother Judith Flashner Buckley and her sisters Raegan L. Buckley, Ellen V. Buckley and Shannon J. Buckley, as well as her partner Daryl J. Marse. She is a 2001 graduate of Mount Carmel Academy and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, she was a designer and trendsetter for Free People and Urban Outfitters. Following Hurricane Katrina, Erin returned to New Orleans to work as area manager for American Apparel and later as an executive assistant to Mark Cuban and personal assistant to Jennifer Coolidge. Even after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, she traveled cross country working as a model and brand ambassador for Levi’s.
Erin was an Ann-Margret protégé, a mid-century modern design enthusiast, a living library of 60s and 70s music, a gifted storyteller, a talented photographer of Louisiana’s forgotten places, and a woman of very high standards and “specific” opinions, and always the loudest person in the room. Erin took after her dad with her sharp sense of humor and a flair for drama and loved to dance and sing at every holiday gathering. She enjoyed taking rides in her 1964 Ford Thunderbird lovingly gifted to her in lieu of an engagement ring from her partner Daryl. Her creativity had no bounds and could only be matched by her generosity. She loved to give the most thoughtful gifts from her favorite thrift stores to her beloved friends and family.
Erin left us amid a pandemic at the tail end of a Category 4 hurricane – fitting for a Cancer sign born on the day of “tragicomic controversy”. She would have thought so anyway. Erin embodied the mysticism and spirit of the white alligator––fearless, strong and truly one-of-a-kind. A private memorial will be held by the family at a later date. Please visit acancerwithcancer.com to read Erin’s cancer journey in her own words and follow Cocodrie Blanche on Spotify to hear one of her many carefully curated playlists.
Shine on Erin and we’ll continue dreaming a little dream of you. 

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