The Buchanan’s Enjoy All That’s Old and New About Alamo Heights After Moving Away More Than Two Decades Ago
By Bruce X. Forey | Photography by David Teran
“It’s like we never left,” said Suzanne Buchanan, alongside her husband James, about their 24-year absence from Alamo Heights. Many of their neighborhood friends have lived in the same homes for almost a quarter century. With kindness, they welcomed the couple back to begin a bittersweet chapter in their lives. It was under heartbreaking circumstances that Suzanne and James returned to their old neighborhood. Suzanne’s sister moved to Alamo Heights from New York City in 2023 to help care for their mother. However, it was the sister who became ill and passed soon afterward.
“After my sister passed away, my husband and I just looked at each other and knew it was time to come home,” Suzanne recalled.
In a twist of fate, the couple bought the same home her sister selected to be near their mother.
“It’s really sweet we get to live where she wanted to make a new home,” Suzanne reflected. “We’re four blocks from my mom. If she needs help with anything, we’re there. My sister absolutely loved this house, and one of her favorite features was the yard. And James loves the yard, so that’s a wonderful connection.”
Suzanne first moved to Alamo Heights after graduating from college. She liked the area because it was close to St. Mary’s Street, which, back in the late 1980s and ’90s, was the place to be for many fun-loving singles. That way of life changed after a young account executive caught her eye while on a sales call at work. She dialed her friend, who was the receptionist, and told her:
“Tell him I’m the decision maker. If he wants us to switch our business to his company, he has to take me to lunch. The rest is history,” Suzanne said.
James and Suzanne have one daughter, Morgan, who attended Howard Early Childhood Center and Woodward Elementary. Morgan started ballet lessons and soon landed her first role as an angel and mouse in The Nutcracker. The family moved to Houston where Morgan would grow up to be a professional ballerina performing with the Houston Ballet. The family then moved to Denver, CO, where Morgan joined Colorado Ballet.
Suzanne is business client solutions representative with First Citizens Bank working in a highly specialized area. She networks with CBD and hemp entrepreneurs looking to grow their business.
“My company launched into the CBD and hemp businesses after the 2018 Farm Bill passed. We are very busy right now because we’ve developed a reputation for serving the unique needs of this industry,” said Suzanne.
The growing CBD/hemp business also presented an opportunity for Suzanne when she needed to move back to San Antonio.
“First Citizens didn’t have a branch in San Antonio, and I was offered a remote role to continue working within the industry,” said Suzanne. “I enjoy continuing to work with many of my colleagues while helping CBD and hemp business owners across the country.”
James continued his account executive career in San Antonio and selected a position with a startup tech company – an atmosphere he prefers to traditional corporate cultures.
“I really enjoy the fast-paced environment these startups have in place,” James said. “Plus, I appreciate how we bond together for the success of the company. You’re not just a cog in the wheel.”
To relax, James and Suzanne enjoy taking advantage of all 78209 offers. They like hanging out at the Alamo Heights pool, frequenting their favorite restaurants, tending to their yard, and getting reacquainted with their neighbors.
“It’s so cliche, but it’s true. It’s just like we never left. We just kind of picked up right where we left off,” said James. It’s been an amazing, amazing time.”
