Maynard "Bud" Reed Shope

Bud leaves behind the love of his life, his wife, Doris, 96. The couple was married July 2, 1949, in Chesterland, OH. They were a remarkable and devoted Bible-believing couple. Besides his wife, Bud leaves behind his children: daughter Beverly (Jeff) Frischkorn of Mentor, OH; daughter Debby Ladlee of Melbourne, FL; son Reed (Annette) Shope of Burke, VA; daughter Joy (Bob) Alexander of Midland, TX; daughter Faith Shope of Mentor, OH; and daughter Annette (Steve) Lebby of Powhatan, VA.

Bud was preceded in death by his father, Perry Shope; his mother, Mable Honneycutt (Robert Honeycutt); sisters Gertrude (Harold) Coon, Jean (John) Gezymalla, Loye (Dolly) (Skip) VanGorder, Helen ( Ed) Shirey; and daughter Melanie Lynn Shope.

Bud and Doris had 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 9 great-great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and many honorary grandchildren from their many years of devotion to Florida Institute of Technology students with whom they interacted.

Bud was born on December 5, 1927, in Elmira Hts, NY, and grew up on a farm in Woodland, PA. He graduated from Clearfield High School in Clearfield, PA. Like many young men of the Greatest Generation, Bud joined the Navy right out of high school and served in the Pacific Theater during the closing months of World War II. While in the Navy, Bud learned to weld, an aptitude he would excel at while working at Thompson Products in Cleveland, where he became a foreman as the company grew.

Always eager to learn more about his trade, Bud took classes in manufacturing, a skill set that eventually led him to the then-Fortune 500 company Figgie International, where he became the firm’s welding engineer. He mastered manufacturing so well that he eventually became the company’s Director of Manufacturing. He retired from the firm in 1989.

It was then that Bud’s zeal for work and compassion for people went into overdrive. He served as a church deacon and assisted the Southern Baptist Convention's disaster-relief efforts, including those for Hurricane Katrina. He also worked tirelessly in the church kitchen, cooking for various functions. Above all, Bud loved working with young people. He would take on the role of a clown, entertaining young and old alike. He enjoyed hunting, trapping, fishing, shooting sports, gardening, woodworking, painting, camping, and traveling, among other pursuits. He freely shared his knowledge with anyone who wanted to learn. Many people have received his artwork, wood clocks, birdhouses, toys, and other wood projects. He had a great sense of humor and a contagious laugh.

While Bud’s homegoing leaves a huge void among family, friends, neighbors, church family, and everyone who met him, they have fond memories and take great joy in knowing that he knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held on October 17, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Central Baptist Church, 2503 Country Club Rd, Melbourne, FL. Burial will take place in Mayfield, OH, at a later date.

The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Bud’s honor to VITAS Hospice at 4450 Eau Gallie Blvd Ste 250, Melbourne, FL 32934.