Bud Bilberry November 29, 1939 ~ August 26, 2024 (age 84)

Funeral services for Bud Bilberry, 84, of Kenna, will be held at 10:00 AM, Thurs., Aug. 29, 2024 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Wayne Kinman officiating.  Burial will follow in the Kenna Cemetery with Denton Dowell, Kooper Saiz, Rodney Gardner, Matt Howell, Trent Crow, Phillip Terry, Patrick Pachta and Brad Oder serving as pallbearers.  Members of the Kenna Church Family as well as the Ruidoso Reunion Family, Buck and Joyce Gossett, Harold Don and Sudie Borden and Bill and Gale Essary have been named as honorary pallbearers.  The family will receive guests at the mortuary on Wed. evening from 5 until 8 PM.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to either the Kenna Ladies’ Aide Cemetery Fund, P O Box 32, Elida, NM 88116 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, ALSAC, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 USA or on their website at https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html.

Nova Duane Bilberry, known to virtually everyone as “Bud,” was born Nov. 29, 1939 in Morton, TX to the home of Naomi (Dement) and Robert Taft Bilberry, and passed from this life early on the morning of Aug. 26, 2024 in Clovis, NM.  Bud grew up in the Floyd community, and graduated from Floyd High School in 1959.  He attended Wayland University for a short time on a basketball scholarship, and later attended for a short time at Eastern New Mexico University.  On May 28, 1961 in Kenna, he was married to Alma Lyle Howell.  He and Alma Lyle have made their home on the E Bar Ranch in Kenna their entire married life.  He loved everything about ranch life and especially enjoyed working cattle on his favorite horse, Shorty.

Bud, along with a small group of other men were instrumental in the formation of High Plains Junior Rodeo Association which began in 1976.  His children, grandchildren and now his great-grandchildren have been active in the organization.  He, along with Glen Smith conducted the very first church service ever held at the National High School Rodeo Association  Finals in Farmington, NM in 1979.

Bud was a devout Christian, and would share his faith in Jesus with anyone he encountered throughout his life.  He literally shared Jesus with everyone who came into his hospital room until his last breath. He was a gifted vocalist, and led revivals both preaching and singing throughout New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado.  Through the years, he sang for gospel meetings and revivals and for countless funerals and other events.  He had recorded two albums of gospel songs.  Bud was a member of the Kenna Community Church for 63 years, leading singing and teaching Sunday School until very recently.  He first began teaching the children, and graduated to the teens, and finally the married couples’ class.  Bud also participated in the Prison Ministry at the New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe following the riots in 1981.

In addition to his ranch and his church, Bud was also active in civic affairs.  He served on the Elida School Board for seven years, as well on the Soil Conservation Board for Chaves County and the CHEM Board for the preservation of the Prairie Chicken population.

Bud is survived by Alma Lyle, his wife of more than 63 years of their home; his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Cheree Bilberry of Kenna; his daughter and son-in-law, Jana and Kendall Terry of Portales; four grandchildren, Tori and Sterling Morris, Rana and Trent Crow, Payton and Callie Terry and Trent and Bailey Bilberry; seven great-grandchildren, Tason Crow, Swayzi Terry, Ryder Crow, Steely Terry, Renlee Crow, Ridge Terry and Alice Bilberry; and a sister, Naomi Dean Rollinson of Clovis.  He was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Taylor Hope Bilberry and Trey Chase Bilberry, as well as by his parents, five brothers, Truman, Stanley, Rodney, Joe and Basil Bilberry and two sisters, Lavelle Kent and Natha Rolan.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bud Bilberry, please visit our floral store.