Tobey D. Budd

Tobey Dean Budd, age 55, of Kenosha, passed away unexpectedly Monday, March 24, 2014 at his home. He was born April 29, 1958 in Beloit, WI, son of Robert “Bob” and the late Lois (Dilley) Budd. Tobey was a gifted athlete and an even more gifted friend. Graduating FJ Turner HS in Beloit Township in 1976, a standout member of a fine Trojan baseball team, an all conference wide receiver with multiple yardage, passes caught, and scoring records, he created even more enduring connections to his classmates and teammates. Tobey’s Navy enlistment in 1977 began a 17 year globe spanning career serving in NAS Naples, Roosevelt Roads PR, Panama City Dive School, part of ship’s company commissioning of the USS Teddy Roosevelt and deploying through the Suez to the Red Sea aboard the USS Semmes during the Iranian missile crisis. Tobey was proud of the impact he made in 2 years of service as a Company Commander at Great Lakes Navy Recruit Training Facility guiding hundreds of young men into their lives as sailors. Tobey’s sons were his passion and he engaged fully. All three boys became hunters under his watchful eye, attending hunter safety with their dad alongside. Sports coaching put Tobey in the midst of their play and fun. Tobey’s teams were immensely successful. When Karlton arrived Tobey jumped to the role of stay at home dad and brought Karl through his infancy into a solid adulthood. Each child’s decision to enter military service was greeted with pride. Karl’s service now in the Marine Corp was a source of parental concern, but primarily pride and happiness. You may have known Tobey in one of his avid roles as coach, counselor, or advocate. His civilian working career comprised years serving clients within a Racine area sheltered workshop as counselor/advocate, years monitoring adjudicated youth on in-home detention as monitor and counselor, finally re-entering government service in 2010 as a Veteran’s Administration contact point for directing services to deserving veterans. To know Tobey was to know and see a servant at work. As much as Tobey loved sports (he considered himself an adjunct Packer assistant coach) he may have loved music more. His music friendship circle was an ever widening ring connecting his love of the guitar and his sharing of that with others. Tobey none-the-less loved his Packers and texted, Twittered, and Face-booked his comments liberally, focusing his keen intellect on every aspect of team readiness from coaching to uniforms (he wanted the stripes on the sox brought back) to player preparation and individual performance. Tobey is survived by three sons, Travis, Elliot (both of Kenosha) and Karlton (Christina and step-son, David) Budd (Charleston, SC), his father, Robert (and special friend Mary Ellen Kleinsmith ) Budd (So.Beloit, IL), a brother, Carl (Kris) Budd (New Berlin), two sisters, Karen (Dale) McKillips (The Villages, FL ), Lindsay (Steve) Ganong (Janesville), nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lois. A celebration of Tobey’s life will be held Saturday, March 29, 2014 from 1:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. at the V.F.W. Post #1865, 6618 39th Avenue, Kenosha, WI. There will be a prayer service at 2:00 P.M. led by past Chaplain Ken Powers with full military honors to follow. Donations, in lieu of flowers would be appreciated and the family believes Tobey’s life would be honored by giving to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP, Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675).

Tobey D. Budd

April 29, 1958 - March 24, 2014