Bud Bader drew his last breath on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 and we are certain he deliberately did so to avoid a possible Biden presidency and buying Marlene a birthday gift. His given name was Oscar, but he never liked it and found no humor in its use. (Seriously, it wasn’t funny.) He was short in stature but never hesitated to speak his mind and “tell it like it is”. If necessary, his voice carried, without fail, and demanded attention. (Teri heard it a lot so you can ask her.) No matter what life threw at him, humor was his line of defense and his endless stories kept us in stiches. He embraced life and leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter and personal recipes that cleaned out anything in the refrigerator. He ensured his last wishes would be followed to the tee with promises to haunt those who did not comply. His kids can attest his follow up rate on threats was 100%, thus, we complied.

Bud was brought up in the school of hard knocks and yes, we were educated many times with “lemme tell you something” and how he had to walk two miles to school in a blizzard, uphill both ways. Despite hard times and life’s storms, he always found the strength to carry on. We scoffed at the time of his “life lessons” but eventually were grateful for his wisdom as we learned “Dad was right.” His stern gaze was all that was needed to halt any shenanigans that were in progress or formulating in our minds. He believed in hard work and reveled in the fact that child labor was legal … or so he said. Unknown to many, he was an inventor and claimed his idea for a soup stirrer was stolen prior to his patent request. He loved to tinker in the garage and was proud of his personally modified shop vac that could either blow the bark off a tree or suck up a golf ball from the opposite side of the yard.

Bud always maintained that his first wife Betty could not resist his wit and charm and they married June 23, 1957. She of course, refuted this nonsense and asserted she actually won him as a boobie prize. We tend to think the latter is true. Betty passed away May 27, 1986. He actually introduced himself to Marlene Darling as “Boliver Shagnaster”. She prayed for guidance with this suspicious character and her sign came quickly when Bud saved a gentleman from choking while they were out on a supper date. They married June 1, 2007.

He is survived by his wife Marlene, who will now be able to buy the new dishwasher he said she didn’t need; four children, Jaci (Stewart) West – Icantrememberwhereitis Kentucky, (according to Dad. To the rest of us it’s Lawrenceburg), Marlin Bader – Denver CO, Teri (Kim) Henderson and Patty (Rick Mitchell) Bader – both from Sioux Falls, SD. He had four wonderful grandchildren, Brandyn (Cody Aarbo) Henderson, Jordyn (Tessa) Henderson, Anna Bader and Kara West; a brother, Jim Fischer and two sisters – Celia Schuette, and Thelma Menzel. He was preceded in death by his first wife Betty, his parents Robert and Floy Westbrooke, his adoptive parents Cliff and Ruth Bader, a brother Robert Westbrook and two sisters Alva Schafer and Velma (Teenie) Quenzer.

He loved to serve and believed it is our responsibility for the benefit of the community. He served two years in the Korean War, was very patriotic and respectful to our military. He was a member of First Baptist Church since 1957, (notice that is when he married Betty and she likely dragged him there), and served as an usher, trustee, deacon, moderator and accompanied three Masadonia ministry team missions. He was president of the Mobridge Rodeo Association for two years and appointed Grand Marshall one year. He served as president and director of Klein Museum and was a lifetime member of the Moose Lodge 1685, American Legion Post 4 and Masonic Lodge 164.

He made us laugh and we are comforted that he is in heaven now, telling jokes (probably some inappropriate), rescuing small children from garage roofs, fixing things no one can recall how they ended up broke to begin with (couches, in ground sprinkler heads, etc.), and modifying angel wings to rival the takeoff of a 747. He wanted family and friends to remember, God is good, God is great, let us thank him for everything. We will miss him dearly.

Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Monday, November 23, 2020 at First Baptist Church, Mobridge SD. Visitation will be at Kesling Funeral Home, 2-5pm on Sunday, November 22, 2020. His service will be live streamed on Facebook under Kesling Funeral Home and will remain available.

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