Bud King was a beautiful man. Most everyone will remember him for his outstanding bartending skills. He worked at Shadows, Cahoots, and Cowboys. His most recent line of work was selling guns at Specialty Sports.
In his youth, he was a Sam Elliot look alike! His inner beauty was the best of all. He had a beautiful smile and laugh. He loved dogs, children, and Harley Davidson motorcycles. In 2001, Bud rode in the Run for the Wall (We ride for those who cannot), from the West Coast to the Vietnam War Memorial Wall, in Washington D.C. Bud was very proud of the U.S.A. and particularly proud of his father, Harold, and stepfather, Chuck’s, service in the military. Chuck flew P-38’s out of New Guinea and became an Ace. Bud donated memorabilia to the WWII Air Museum.
But Bud never talked about his own accomplishments during Vietnam. He was a helicopter door gunner. It was amazing that he survived the war. Going through his personal papers, I found nothing about his action in service in Vietnam. He simply spent the rest of his life supporting veterans in any way he could. What could be more heroic? Bud explained the inception of the Angel Fire Memorial in New Mexico to my parents and they had to go see it. My Mom saw the helicopter there with the door gunner hanging out of the doorless ‘copter and she realized why there were such high fatalities doing this job. After my Mom and Dad got back from visiting the Memorial, my Mom wrote him a letter telling him he was meant to be a part of our family because he survived being a door gunner.
Bud was preceded in death by his mother Joyce King, father Harold Buth, and stepfather Chuck King. He is survived by his only living family member Gary King, his former spouse Kammie King, his beloved nieces Avery and Parker Hamel and Kaila Coleman, and nephew Brayden Coleman, his former sister in law Ceanne Hamel, former brother in law Jeff Coleman, and former mother and father in law Bill and Bonniegail Coleman. Loved by ALL, he will be greatly missed! He touched more lives than he will ever know!
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating towards a park bench that will be placed in a park in Black Forest where he was frequently seen walking his beloved dogs.
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A VETERAN
A VETERAN – WHETHER ACTIVE DUTY, RETIRED, NATIONAL
GUARD OR RESERVE – IS SOMEONE WHO, AT ONE POINT IN HIS LIFE, WROTE A BLANK CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” FOR AN AMOUNT OF “UP TO AND INCLUDING MY LIFE.” THAT IS HONOR!
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