DeWitt T. "Dewey" Budd, 93, passed away peacefully on Feb. 7 at Bristol Glen, his retirement home since 2011. Dewey lived his entire life in Newton including 20 years at 28 Church St. and 60 years at 3 Elm St. (Sears & Roebuck home built by grandparents Reuben & Emily Talmage in 1910). Active in Boy Scouts, Sons of American Legion, Y Groups, Letterman NHS Football and Basketball. Class of '44 Rutgers Varsity Football Left Guard. US Navy Air Corp '44 - '46, ARM 3/c (Aviation Radioman) and V5 (Pilot Training), USN Reserve Ensign, discharged 1950. Returned to Rutgers for B.S. in agriculture Class of 1949. Married Dorothy Heilman (NJC-Douglas Class of 1948) in 1951 and honeymooned in the Caribbean and Cuba for three weeks. Owner of BUDD TRAVEL OF NEWTON (Est. 1930) and HACKETTSTOWN for 60 years. Traveled nearly two million miles around the world and walked on all seven continents! Member of NJ Tourist Advisory Board and Notary Public. Son of the late Louis H. Budd Sr. and Elizabeth H. Talmage, he is survived by his son Bruce and his wife, Geraldine of Bethel, CT, and daughter Karen Gill and her husband, Christian Elliot of Ossipee, NH. Four loving and beautiful grandchildren: Egan Budd of Seattle, WA; Jordan Gill of Costa Rica; Courtney Blahosky and her husband, Jon, and their two children of Weston, CT; and Taylor Lyden and her husband, Kevin of Scranton, PA. Also, sister-in-law Dorka, two nephews, Louis III and Richard, and two nieces, Susan and Caroline. Dewey was predeceased by his loving wife of 66 years, Dorothy in 2017 and his brother, Louis Budd in 2018. Member of the First Presbyterian Church in Newton for over 80 years and a choir member for 66 years. Served as a Trustee and Elder. Served as Past President (’69 -‘70) of Newton Rotary Club, member since 1956. Member of Harmony Lodge and Life Member of Shrine Crescent Temple and American Legion Post 86; private pilot, Hardyston YMCA; Cub Scout leader; Branchville Businessmen’s Club; Sunshine Singers; Meals on Wheels Delivery for 19 years, and grand marshal of Newton Memorial Day parade in 2019. Newton Senior Citizen of the Year 2007. He was, however, most famous for his weekly jokes! A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, March 14 at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Newton. An American Legion Service with military honors will immediately follow the funeral service at the church. Respects may be paid from 10 - 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to First Presbyterian Church of Newton, NJ (Talmage Fund) or the Fellowship Fund at Bristol Glen, Newton, NJ.
