Budd ….. Buddington ….. BBJ CPA

Kind, gracious, caring. This is how people describe Budd. Whether volunteering with his Rotary Club and church, or helping family with any and all projects, Budd was always generous with his time and expertise. He truly embodied the Christian spirit of love, service, and “do unto others.” Budd was a dedicated family man, who unconditionally supported his wife of 60 years, Deloras, his 2 daughters, Michelle and Gretchen, and their families. He loved being physically active, with his favorite past times being walking with his dog Ginger, gardening and yard projects, and walking the Bluff Trail at The Sea Ranch. He cared deeply for his health and took great care of his body, starting his day with morning yoga until he was 80.

Budd was born July 12, 1941 in Portland, OR to Buddington Bewley Jones and Margaret DeYoung. The family of 3 eventually settled in Menlo Park, CA, where Budd spent his formative years. He played baseball at Menlo-Atherton High and wanted to become a professional ball player. His father died when Budd was only 14, and so was raised by Margaret as a single mom.

In 1962, mutual friends set Budd up with young nursing student named Deloras. The two married 2 years later in San Francisco, following his graduation from San Jose State and receiving his army commission. The next day, Budd shipped off to Basic Training with the US Army. Joining the Finance Corps, he was stationed in Saigon during the Viet Nam war, and he loved telling about being in charge of the vault full of cash to pay the soldiers.

While in Viet Nam, his first daughter Michelle was born, and when he returned home, the young family moved to Corte Madera. Budd retired from the army, then received his MBA on the GI bill. In 1971, their second daughter Gretchen was born, and the family moved to a custom-built redwood home in Marinwood. In 1973, Budd planted over a dozen 5-gallon redwood trees in their backyard – which eventually grew to be over 75 feet tall and the nicest redwood grove in Marin County outside of Muir Woods. Budd had his own CPA practice in Marin until his retirement in 2010, and was an ethical, compassionate, smart financial advisor.

Budd and Deloras lived in Marinwood for 43 years, enjoying gardening, walking Ginger, crab feeds with the Rotary Club, active membership at Christ Presbyterian Church, hosting pre-Bay to Breakers spaghetti feeds, and trips up the coast to The Sea Ranch for vacation. Eventually, they bought their dream home at The Sea Ranch to vacation at until they could permanently retire there.

They moved full-time to The Sea Ranch in 2016, where Budd maintained their sod-roofed architectural home, attended chamber concerts, and tossed the tennis ball for Ginger every day at the beach. Days at Sea Ranch included walks along the Bluff Trail, fine dining in town and with neighbors, whale watching from the dining room table, more crab feeds, and more yard work…..

In 2018, Budd and Deloras built a home in Washington State, next door to Gretchen and her family. The plan was to eventually move there, when they could no longer live independently. Unfortunately, that time came sooner than expected. In 2019, Budd was diagnosed with Multi-System Atrophy, a rare neurologic condition related to Parkinson’s. He was able to stay active and independent until a severe illness in 2022 knocked him down and he began to need full-time caregiving, so he and Deloras moved to Washington full-time. His last 2 years were spent in his home in Morton, surrounded by family and engaging activity. Even in his compromised state, his caregivers and healthcare team consistently remarked on how kind, gracious, and truly wonderful Budd was. That is when you know it is someone’s true essence.

Budd died peacefully at home with Deloras, Michelle, and Gretchen by his side on November 25, 2024, at the age of 83. A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 1:00 pm at Christ Presbyterian Church in Terra Linda. 620 Del Ganado Rd., San Rafael, CA 94903. In lieu of flowers, consider sending a donation to the Rotary Club of Terra Linda Foundation.

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