Buddy D. “Bud” Kirby, 66

Buddy D. “Bud” Kirby, 66, of Fremont, a former Arlington High School teacher, died July 8, 1998, at his home.

Services were July 11 at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont with the Rev. John Sneed of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Fremont officiating. Pallbearers were Mike Schroeder, Lewis Messier, Alan Ott, Ronnie Mueller, Mert Brodd and Bill Kellogg.

Burial was at Ridge Cemetery in Fremont with military graveside services by the Fremont Honor Guard of V.F.W. Post 854 and the American Legion Post 20. Fremont Lodge 14, A.F. & A.M. conducted a Masonic service July 10 at the funeral home.

Buddy D. “Bud” Kirby was born Feb 22, 1932, in Fairbury to Alfred and Elsie (Robbins) Kirby. He grew up at Fairbury and graduated from Fairbury High School in 1950.

He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from July 26, 1950, to May 13, 1954. He was a quartermaster signalman with the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific.

On Dec. 22, 1954, he married Adehlia R. Kappmeyer at Fairbury.

He graduated from Fairbury Junior College and attended Midland College in Fremont. He graduated from Peru State College with a bachelor of arts degree in education and did graduate work at Peru State and Kearney State College.

He worked as a policeman in Fairbury from 1958 to 1964 and attended the 1962 Law Enforcement Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He taught and coached at Pilger from 1964 to 1967. He was a teacher and guidance counselor for the Davenport Community Schools, 1967-68. He served as head football and track coach and athletic director and taught at Arlington High School from 1968 to 1972.

From 1972 to 1975, he was self-employed in real estate and insurance at Hindmarsh Realty in Fremont. He taught at Yutan High School from 1975 to 1976 and was a teacher and athletic director at Big Springs High School from 1976 to 1979.

He returned to Fremont in 1979 and was business manager for Tal Anderson Chevrolet for six years. From 1985 until his retirement in 1994, he was a veterans counselor for the Nebraska Department of Labor.

He was a past president of the Pilger and Arlington Education Associations; past secretary of the Nebraska State Education Association, district 2; past president of the Arlington Community Club; charter member of the National Coaches Association; founding member of The National Historical Society and a Boy Scout monitor.

He was a life member of the V.F.W. Post 854 at Fremont; American Legion Post 20 at Fremont; past director for the former Fremont Sertoma Club; member of the board of directors for the American Heart Association, Nebraska affiliate; Fraternal Order of Eagles 200 of Fremont; Fairbury Masonic Lodge 35, A.F. & A.M. at Fairbury; Emmanuel Baptist Church in Fremont and Travelers Protective Association.

Gov. Ben Nelson has appointed him an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.

He is survived by his wife, Adehlia; two sons and daughters-in-law, Murphy and Cynthia Kirby of Fremont and Douglas and Julie Kirby of Fremont; two daughters and one son-in-law, Pamela Kirby of Fremont and Valerie and Steve Miller of Fremont; a brother-in-law, Donald D. Brown of Fremont; five grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister, Ruth Brown.

Memorials are suggested to the Masonic Eastern Star Home for Children in Fremont.

Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~