Richard Budke, 81, Beloit
Richard Joseph Budke
BELOIT – Richard Joseph Budke was born October 5, 1941, to Henry and Mary (Wessling) Budke on the farm in Beloit, Kansas. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on June 25th, 2023, at the age of 81.
On July 11, 1964, Richard married the love of his life Sylvia Brummer at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Tipton, Kansas. To this union seven children were born, Licia, Brent, Derek, Sheila, Jason, Jeremy and Jonathan. They were blessed to celebrate almost 59 years of marriage.
Richard was a resident of Beloit his entire life and graduated from St. John’s High School in the class of 1960. He was a life-long farmer and stockman. He also worked for Mitchell County EMS for 23 years where he touched many lives. He was honored to receive the Norman E. McSwain Award in 2009, a distinguished award that recognized his exemplary service to the EMS profession. Inaddition,he worked for Solomon Valley Transportation for a short time until his health would no longer allow him to perform this service. Richard never met a stranger and was known for his “gift of gab”. He very much enjoyed helping others and was always interested in the lives of his friends and family. The stories he told his grandchildren were greatly elaborated, but that was one of the very things that they will always cherish about him. Richard and his children also had a passion for deer hunting. He loved this special time with his children and many memories were made in both the hunting and farming fields. Richard dearly loved his children and grandchildren and from the time each grandchild could speak, he would say “who do you love?” and they were coached to quickly respond “we love papa”. Richard came from a family filled with laughter and love and passed that along to his children and grandchildren.
Richard was a life-long member of St. John’s Catholic Church and had a strong devotion to the rosary. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was a 4th degree Knight. He served on the St. John’s school board for many years and was also a member of the National Guard.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Mary Budke, his brother, Arnold Budke and sisters, Rose Marie Walsh, Berniece Bergmann, Margaret Hamilton, Rita Kitterman, Henrietta Delfeld and Charlotte Onley.
He is survived by his wife, Sylvia; children and grandchildren: Licia (Shaye) Budke and their children Knox, Kruz and, ZaQris, Brent (Kim) Budke and their children Hunter, Hayden and Halle, Derek Budke and his son Landon, Sheila (Chad) Thompson and their children Phillip Benjamin, Sophia and Vivian, Jason (Jama) Budke and their children Kirsten (Daniel), Alexis (Trevor), Alana, and Addison, Jeremy Budke and Jonathan (Christine) Budke and their children Avery, Estelle, Thayer and Gabriella.
Funeral services will be at 11 AM Saturday, July 1 at the temporary St. John’s Catholic Church (former Dollar General building). A rosary service will be at 7 PM Friday at the temporary location, & visitation will be from 9 AM to 4 PM Friday at the Roberts Family Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the St. John’s Restoration Project (Prepare the Way), Solomon Valley Hospice, or St. John’s Schools. Roberts Family Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be left at www.robertsfamilyfs.com