- Date Of Death: August 16, 2017
- State: Nebraska
Gordon “Bud” Arneson, 80, a 23 year resident of Sun Lakes, a Phoenix retirement community, passed away August 16, 2017 after a long bout with Parkinson’s disease.
He was born and raised on a farm in south central Nebraska. His mother, Effie, called their 2nd son her little Buddy. He spent his youth working alongside his father, Glen, doing the chores of a man, which undoubtedly developed the work ethic he was respected for and strengthened him for playing sports. He rode a horse to grade school, showed a baby beef through FFA, and rode the train with his dad, taking cattle to Kansas City – just a few of the stories he shared from those early years. Frequent get-togethers of the area Arnesons were a major source of entertainment in those days and he always talked about the time spent with his cousins.
Basketball and baseball in Inavale in grade school and football added at Red Cloud High School – he excelled in them all and won many awards. After a 1955 graduation and Kearney State for 1 year Bud went on to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, joined Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and obtained a B.S. in business administration. That last semester he met his future wife, a freshman from South Dakota. He went 6 months to army reserve training and worked in Denver one year before returning to Nebraska to pick up the pre-med courses he would need to apply to medical school, got married, had a son and ultimately decided against being a doctor.
With a farm background and added science courses under his belt he was employed by Corvel, Eli Lilly’s vet branch and then Elanco – its ag chem division where he found his niche within the Kansas City district, covering NW Missouri.
He lived 24 years in the “Coves” in Kansas City North, full of pride as he watched his 2 sons grow up. Finally he retired to AZ where he took full advantage of the golf courses and enjoyed softball and tennis, just like in his younger days. Following Husker football remained his very favorite pastime.
Bud is survived by his wife of 55 years, Peggy, son Jeff (Georgia), son Scott (Rhonda), grandchildren Kaley and Brayden, brother Dick, sister Carole(Jr) Glenn, 1 niece, 4 nephews, and many great Arneson cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and nephew RG.
No service is being held but the family would appreciate your cards and notes with particular memories you have of Bud.
