Bud Light

Harry Edward "Bud" Light, 70, of Mountain Home, passed away at his home on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 9, 2011.

A memorial service will be held on 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 18, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home.

Bud was born to Harry Light Sr. and Mary Light on Oct. 9, 1940, in Sedalia, Mo. After living for a while in Boston, where his father worked in the naval shipyards during World War II, the family moved to Glenns Ferry, Idaho, where Bud entered the first grade in 1946.

Bud graduated in 1958 from Twin Falls High School where he played basketball and baseball. After turning down the offer of a Class D Contract from the Pittsburg Pirates, Bud became the first in his family to attend college by entering the University of Idaho in the fall of 1958.

Bud pledged the Delta Chi Fraternity and started pursuing an education major at Idaho.

He met Della Smith at the University and the two of them married in 1962. They both graduated together in 1963 and accepted teaching jobs in Mountain Home.

Bud and Della had a son, Mark, born in 1965, and a daughter, Heather, born in 1969. Della preceded Bud into death in December of 1973.

After raising two children by himself for a time, he then met Gisela Arnold. Bud and Gisela married on Feb. 24, 1979. He welcomed into the family his new stepson in this marriage, Manfred Kiesser.

After moving to Mountain Home, Bud became very active in both the educational system and community life of the town. Bud started by teaching English in the junior high school, then became a guidance counselor, a vice-principal, principal of the Base Elementary School and assistant superintendant of schools. He retired as the superintendant of the school district in 1995.

After retiring from education, he worked at the Century 21 Brokerage that he had founded with Gisela.

Bud was also a past president of the Chamber of Commerce, a volunteer fireman, active in both the Elks Club and Optimist Club, coached little league baseball and was a president of the Lions Club. He was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow Award from the national Lions Club organization for dedicated humanitarian service.

Bud also was active in promoting the town's bond with the Air Force base. He was the Grand Marshal of the Air Force Appreciation Day Parade in 1988. He was a member of the Committee of Fifty, a local Air Force promotion group. He served at the request of the Department of Defense on a national committee designed to help communities facing economic consequences of base closure. He was named an honorary commander of 389th Fighter Squadron in 2005.

Bud loved sports, games and the outdoors throughout his life. In addition to baseball, he also played bridge, hunted, fished, bowled, enjoyed snow and water skiing and camping. His number one passion though was golf, and he was fortunate enough to play it throughout the United States.

He also had a love of travel, visiting all 50 states and Puerto Rico, in addition to most of North America and Europe.

Bud is survived by his wife, Gisela, son Mark and his wife, Trish Light, daughter Heather and her husband, Aaron Taylor, stepson Manfred and his wife, Lorrie Kiesser, grandsons Aaron and Nicholas, granddaughters Whitney, Darcy and Nancy, great-grandson Brodie, his sister, Mary Jo Kandler, and his brother, John Light.

He was preceded in death his parents and his first wife, Della.

Bud was an educator, community promoter and outdoor enthusiast. He was also a great husband, father and friend. He considered his life fortunate in all the opportunities he had in work and recreation, but those closest to him considered themselves fortunate that he was part of their lives. He will be missed and will always be loved.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Legacy Home Health & Hospice, 680 S. Progress Ave., Ste 2A, Meridian, ID 83642.