Notes for: William George ("Bud") Bodin
From Ronny Bodine:
Obituary, The Daily Press (Ashland, WI) of 19 Aug 2009.
William George "Bud" Bodin, age 85, of Bayfield, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, at his home. He was born March 8, 1924, in the Town of Bayview, the son of Ever and Marie "Mary" (Frostman) Bodin and moved to Bayfield at age 3. He graduated from Bayfield High School in 1942, and attended UW-Madison prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy in December 1942. He was in the Navy for six years, serving as a MoMM1c (motor machinist mechanic) and did a tour of duty in the Pacific Theater during World War II, working as a Packard diesel mechanic on the PT boats. Bud met his future wife, Shirley Jane Kennedy, in the summer of 1942 and they were married on June 11, 1949, in Green Bay. Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, he returned to Bayfield and joined his father in commercial fishing. Together they operated their fish tug, "William G," from their headquarters on Madeline Island near Big Bay. Bud and his family lived and worked many summers there, providing fish to the Booth Fisheries, Kuhn Fisheries and Bodin Fisheries, and for a time expanded their business to include processing and selling smoked fish at their Smoke Shack. During the intermittent lean times in commercial fishing Bud applied his maritime skills as a captain for the Madeline Island Ferry Line, the Apostle Islands Cruise Service and for 10 years on the DNR research vessel "Hack Noyes." Bud had the opportunity to re-visit the Seattle, Wash., area, where he was stationed for awhile during his Navy service, by taking a short-term job on a tugboat as an engineer hauling cargo up to Amchitka Island in Alaska. In 1986, Bud and Shirley enjoyed two longer voyages together. They delivered their beloved "William G" to the Soo Locks to be picked up by her new owner and later that fall he co-piloted, with Dave Strzok, the crew boat "Manitou," from Biloxi, Miss., up the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway and Mississippi River to its new home with the Apostle Islands Cruise Service in Bayfield. Bud was a lifelong member of the Bayfield Presbyterian Church, serving terms as an elder, and was a member of the Toutloff-Saunders-Duffy American Legion Post #49. He was active in the City of Bayfield politics, serving as an alderman and on the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Bud's lifelong experiences with Lake Superior nurtured a great respect and love for the lake, the Apostle Islands, nature and the wildlife of the area. He loved being in the woods as well as on the water, and his interests included sport fishing, hunting and camping with Shirley and close friends. During the long cold months of winter, he looked forward to weekly cribbage games at Bethesda Lutheran Church. Bud is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley Bodin of Bayfield; a son, Michael (Brenda) Bodin of Superior; daughters, Donna (Bob) Apps of Port Wing and Marlene Hoda of St. Paul, Minn.; 11 grandchildren, Aaron, Jason, Tory, Ryan, Angela, Jennifer, Jessica, Rachael, Roxanna, Tracy and Hollie; a brother-in-law, Ardy (Donalee) Kennedy of Bayfield; a sister-in-law, Marjorie Kennedy Miller of Bayfield; several great-grandchildren; and numerous very special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Margaret (Walter) Ehlers; brother-in-law, Donald Kennedy; neice Susan and nephew James. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Bayfield Presbyterian Church in Bayfield. Rev. David Oliver-Holder will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. A veteran service will follow the funeral at the church with the Bayfield American Legion Post #49 officiating. A family graveside service and inurnment will take place at a later date in the Greenwood Cemetery in Bayfield. Bratley Funeral Home in Washburn is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Bayfield Heritage Association, Bayfield Presbyterian Church and/or Regional Hospice Services.