Hello Readers,

Which of these statements are true about Bud DeVere?

1. Served the Marine Corps 46 years
2. Is a published author
3. His family owned two circuses
4. Ate from a cake that weighed 1500 pounds
5. Traveled cross-country alone from the age of 11
6. Is an artist, wood carver, calligrapher, singer and illustrator
7. Owns his own museum
8. Holds court as a lecturer at the age of 95

If you said yes to all of these, you would be correct. Bud DeVere, now 95, is a gentleman, a scholar, a historian and a man who holds almost a century of memories of his interesting life.

When Bud was a young man his father had investments in two circuses. One was the Shell Brothers Circus which was the second largest circus at that time in the country (first one being the Ringling Brothers). As a performer, Bud’s father and mother traveled often, and Bud spent many years with his Grandmother. As a young boy Bud showed talent as an artist saying, “from the time I could hold a pencil I started drawing”. He was also a young carver – “I’ve carved my whole life,” he said. What is a talent you’ve carried from your childhood?

When the summer months arrived and Bud did not have to attend school, he would catch a ride on a train, or a Model T-Ford, or even hitchhike to wherever his family’s circus was held. Bud’s grandma had “sophistication – she thought of my dad as a dandy because he was a performer,” Bud said. One of Bud’s funny memories of traveling alone across the United States to get to his father’s circus was when he was 12 years old. He hitched a ride with two college-age girls. One night he and his traveling companions decided to get a nice dinner. The restaurant was one that set out finger bowls to wash your hands. Bud chuckles as he tells about the one college gal who put her spoon in the bowl getting ready to taste what she thought was soup. Bud said he had to stop her and show her how to wash her fingers in the bowl, something his grandma had taught him. Have you ever embarrassed yourself with a funny mishap?

Bud would spend his summers with the circus doing whatever was needed, including performing as a clown. He remembers those circus years as “some of the best times of my life”, he said. Bud’s father died when Bud was 16 years old and the circuses had to be sold – equipment and animals were up for sale. The children of Little Rock Arkansas held bake sales and went door-to-door collecting donations so that they could buy Ruth – a favorite of the circus elephants – and give it a home at the local zoo. With fond memories, Bud recalled that every year the Little Rock Zoo would hold a birthday party for Ruth, the elephant. The children of the town would be there to celebrate and a baker would donate a cake that weighed 1500 pounds.

Six days after Bud graduated from high school, on June 6, 1942, he enlisted and joined the Marine Corps. “I joined to help protect my country,” he said. His first assignment was on the island of Guadalcanal which is located northeast of Australia in the south-west Pacific. This is a region known for its bitter battles in World War II. He was there from October 13 to December 13 and he said “those two months felt like two years”. Bud, who was his outfit’s time keeper for planes coming in and out, said artillery came from the hills, the naval artillery came from the seas, the flight bombs came from the air and there were also ground attacks. “It was more than I expected,” he told me. “More friends were killed there than any other place in the war”. Of the members in Bud’s dive bomber outfit [crew of 37 men] – “I was the only one alive”. Bud said that his biggest memory of that war was “that I survived Guadalcanal”.

Bud served in the Marine Corps for 26 years. After his retirement in 1968, he was hired as a civil servant as the exhibit curator for the National Marine Corps Museum that was then in Washington, D.C. He worked there until his second retirement in 1998 with a rank of GS13, which at that time was equal to a colonel, Bud explained. So, with his active duty and civil service, Bud DeVere served our country for 46 years, “and enjoyed most of it”, he said. Throughout those years, Bud also served as a professional calligrapher for the Marine Corps – he did the calligraphy for the Medal of Honor certificates. Five of those career years, he was also a Marine Corps recruiter.

In 2012, he published “Lions, Leathernecks and Legacies” and did 60 of the illustrations in the book. After it was published, his children and friends read it and said “hey, what about this story or that story?” So, for the enjoyment of his close loved ones, Bud wrote a second book titled “For Your Eyes Only” and again did the illustrations. All the copies are now in the hands of other owners except for one of each that Bud owns. Copies are also on display in his private museum that is only open to guests by invitation. What is a special memento of yours that might go on display if you owned a museum?

Bud and his wife, Estelle, moved from Virginia to Longmont, Colorado in 2004. Bud and Estelle spent their last few years together living in an assisted living facility here in Longmont. The couple celebrated married life for 72 years until Estelle passed away in 2017. The parents of four children, Bud said he is close to his children and often spends time with them.

Bud’s age has not slowed him down from continuing to do the things that he loves. One of the three oldest residents in the assisted living home, Bud is an ambassador to help other new residents feel welcomed. He no longer paints but he continues to write and give lectures. Topics have ranged from cowboys, poetry, scrapbooking, Guadalcanal, circus history, Indian history and Marine Corps. Bud is not finished – he has plans for other topics to research and provide the lecture. He also enjoys singing, especially old songs that no one knows and songs written by his father. Each 13th of the month, friends will hear Bud break out singing “Triskaidekaphobia” – a song by Les Brown about the fear of the number 13. I have to confess I did not know that song so Bud sang some of it for me, and as soon as I arrived back in my office, I pulled it up on You-tube. It’s a swinging big band jazz song. As a fellow fan of 50s music, this one is now saved in my collection. Reader, do you have a favorite song, and why?

I couldn’t leave Bud’s apartment without admiring his artwork – much of it was his own work. Marine Corps banners, medals and pictures line his wall, as well as a framed illustration of the Marine Corps Hymn. The illustrations surround the hymn were drawn by Bud and he said, “that is still sold at Marine Corps gift shops”. His counters are lined with books of interest. I noticed many on World War II, particularly Guadalcanal. His own paintings and wood carvings were displayed. My favorite of his was a painting of a pair of cowboy boots and pistol. He had originally purchased the boots in 1941 for $25 – “Justin custom-made boots”, he said. Next to the boots, Bud had painted a pistol that was his dad’s. Also on Bud’s walls was one of Bud as a little boy standing next to another favored circus elephant “Bolo”.

 

 

Bud told me at the end of the interview that he had lived a “pretty fascinating life”. He added “I enjoyed doing all that I have done. I have very few regrets. He quotes Frank Sinatra saying – “I did it my way”. Do you, Reader, have a quote that sums up your life?

Pennsylvania readers, Diane and Phil LaRose, said they enjoyed reading January’s blog about Jim and his accordion. Diane said her husband’s dad owned LaRose Accordion Band in the 1950s which was one of the largest accordion bands in the east. They played at the nation’s capital, Gettysburg battlefield and many other historic venues. “I grew up with an accordion on my back,” Diane said. She told me two adorable stories that I had to share with you, Readers. See the little girl standing with the accordion and the little boy in the front row with his accordion? Well, that is Diane and her husband when they were just 8 years old. She told me she loved his black curly hair. She remembers, “I prayed when I was 7 years old – please God – please God – please God – let me marry Phil Larose?” This year, they will be married 58 years. Like Jim, Diane also had an embarrassing accordion-playing moment. She told me, “I played my accordion in second grade in front of the class. I got to the middle of the song and everything went blank. My mother was sitting in the back and I continued playing whatever I made up in my head. I think my mom nearly fainted”. Have you ever performed before an audience, Reader? If so, what was your talent?

 

Reader, Liz, tells about an embarrassing moment she remembers. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and was in the 5th grade. Her teacher caught her cheating on the weekly spelling test. “I was terribly embarrassed,” she said. She reminisced, “those were the days when embarrassment was one part of the punishment.” Liz said she had never cheated before that or since that time. She also got a zero on the test and she had to write out the words several times. Liz has a lovely wit and she also added, “I’m not the best speller to this day, but I am better than my youngest sister who is, as we say, a “creative speller”. What is a lesson that you learned in childhood that has carried over to adulthood? Reader, Ann H. also said about the January blog referencing Cultivate and other Longmont services, “I feel so fortunate to live in a community that has so much to offer seniors”. I couldn’t agree more, Ann! Do you have a favorite program or service that has been of benefit to you?

Until next month, may peace be at your side,
Debbie Noel

We have several ways to interact with Debbie!

• Email her at DroppingInWithDebbie@gmail.com

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Debbie Noel
C/o Longmont Senior Center
910 Longs Peak Avenue
Longmont, Colorado 80501

 

** To find out about many services available in Longmont, you can view or download the GO Catalog onlineor stop in at the Longmont Senior Center, 910 Longs Peak Avenue to pick up your paper copy.

** Cultivate information: www.cultivate.ngo 
email info@cultivate.ngo
Phone: 303-443-1933
mailing address: 6325 Gunpark Drive, #F, Boulder, Colorado 80301