Long after Albert Buckley retired from Roanoke Gas Co. as president, his presence lingered.

Years would pass, but employees faced with a dilemma would still ask, "Well, what would Al do?" said current president John Williamson III.

"He left a long legacy," Williamson said.

Buckley died Tuesday in Richmond. He was 86.

Buckley joined Roanoke Gas in 1950 when it was switching from manufactured gas to natural gas, and stayed with the company for more than 40 years.

Buckley oversaw the conversion, which entailed building 45 miles of pipeline. He also made sure the company's 15,000 customers had their appliances converted to use natural gas.

Buckley began serving on the board of directors in 1970, and in 1972 was named president.

He retired in 1986 as president, though he continued to serve as chairman of the board until 1992.

Buckley was instrumental in the construction of a liquid natural gas storage facility, located off Interstate 81 in Botetourt County.

The facility was the first of its kind on the East Coast when it was built in the 1970s. It cools natural gas and stores it as liquid. The surplus is used on cold days when demand is high.

"It was just a really brilliant move at the time," Williamson said.

Buckley's wife of almost 65 years, Marguerite, said Buckley was passionate about his work.

"He loved his job. He lived for his job," she said.

She described him as "straight and narrow."

"He just wouldn't do anything wrong," she said.

His friends and former colleagues agree.

Wilbur Hazlegrove, who was at one time the company lawyer, recalled Buckley as being "meticulously honest."

"You never had to doubt his intentions," said Hazlegrove, who remained good friends with Buckley until his death.

Ed Dunbar, who took over as president when Buckley retired, said Buckley was a good golfer and a great bird hunter, as well as a gifted painter.

"It just wasn't fair for someone to have all the talents he had," Dunbar said.