Floyd "Bud" W. Dexter

Floyd “Bud” Dexter Jr., 84, died Sunday, July 21, 2019, at Kansas Heart Hospital, Wichita, after a long battle with COPD and heart disease. He was born January 23, 1935, near the Cottonwood River east of Cottonwood Falls, to Floyd W. Sr. and Lillian (Glanville) Dexter. His parents taught him to care for the land. He loved to fish and hunt, usually hunting by himself or with cousins and friends.  Bud’s first deer was an 11 point buck.

Bud began first grade at 5 years of age at Miller School, a one room grade school, near Gladstone. He graduated from Chase County High School. He was in FFA and Gladstone 4-H Club, played football and raised prizewinning ribbons with his Hereford steers.

When he was 12, he helped a neighbor stack hay, leading the stack horse for 25 cents an hour and later worked at the Spencer Ranch driving Lawrence Spencer and doing errands for the rancher. In the summer of 1951, he was delivering water to Santa Fe track and signal employees. With water rising after heavy rains he walked to Gladstone from his home. With flood water from Southfork rising he walked the tracks until the water became too deep. Climbing a parked train he walked atop to the place where he could walk home.

Bud married Carol Dicke on December 17, 1955, at Grace Lutheran Church in Strong City. Bud and Carol shared almost 64 years of marriage. They had two sons, Mikel and Mitchell.

Bud’s favorite job was when they owned a Skelly Service Station in Cottonwood Falls for 6 years. He was hired by Keenline Campers in 1966, building pickup bed campers and became the manager of the Emporia Shop. In 1969, he became the manager of Schott Industries, a supplier to the mobile home and camper industry in Newton. He then became the manager of Elixer Industries, also a mobile home supplier. After retirement from EVCO, Bud drove the L-CAT bus in Emporia and gave over 7 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross. The family enjoyed RVing. He loved teaching his sons water skiing and riding Honda motorcycles.

He is survived by: wife, Carol, of the home; sons, Mikel Dexter and wife Jeanne of Broken Arrow, OK , Mitchell Dexter of Paradise Valley, AZ; brother, James Dexter and wife Mary Ann of Ponca City, Ok; sister-in-law, Jane Dicke of Cottonwood Falls; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Betty Moore; and brother-in-law, Gary Dicke.

Cremation has taken place.

Private family service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to Emporia Friends of the Zoo, in care of Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home, PO Box 220, Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845.

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