Lily Wright Budd was born in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M. on May 14, 1936, the daughter of Gaston E. Wright (1911-1965) and Nina Lester Wright (1908-1995) who were both Texas natives.
Her mother was a teacher and Lily grew up in Childress, Canyon, Vega and Post, Texas. She attended Childress High School and graduated from Plainview High in 1953. She was in band and chorus as well as the Future Homemakers and Future Business Leaders of America.
Lily was a commercial teacher in Springer High School from 1956-1959 where she was also the yearbook and student council advisor. She spent a month traveling in Europe during the summer of 1959. She taught in Raton High School in 1959-1960 where she was the junior class advisor.
Lily met Clarence Edward Budd, Jr. in February of 1958 in the Maxwell gym at a dance after a basketball game. They married September 11, 1959, in the First Baptist Church in Raton, N.M.
She became a 100% full time mother when her oldest son was born and for the next 20+ years she was a room mother, little league and 4-H mom, PTA leader, supported the band/music programs and taught sunday school. Lily was from the age of 14, a seamstress and after retirement, to stay busy, began quilting. She later designed the New Mexico Centennial Quilt for the DAR.
The Budds were avid travelers taking the family to Hawaii, Disneyland and Disney World. They loved camping in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. The Budds took a 2-month caravan to Alaska with the Holiday Rambler RV Association. They visited every state in the US and all but 2 of the Canadian provinces.
She was a member of the Red Hats and collected antiques, enjoying meeting with the Colfax County Antique Study Group.
She passed away in Denver on September 17, 2016. She requested that no services be held. The Budds have decided to be buried together in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Lily is survived by her husband Clarence and her sons, Jeffrey (Connie Graham) of Castle Rock, Co., Jay Scott of Franktown, Co., Jon Cooper (Allison Frakes) of Dove Canyon, Ca. and Joey Edward of Raton, N.M. Her grandsons are Jay’s son Devin Cooper of Salt Lake City, UT and Jon’s sons, Jon Cooper II and Eric of Dove Canyon, Ca.
Arrangements for Lily Wright Budd are under the direction of the Yaksich-Long Funeral Home of Raton N.M.
Will surely miss her, as a friend AND a Red Hatter. She was special.
Our sympathy on this loss.
I have fond and lasting memories of Lily; such a knowledgeable person about so many interesting things and had a meaningful connection with the Budd’s; Clarence, his sister and Sarah who worked at Safeway when all 3 of the GOOD boys worked there, God rest your soul, Lily and grant peace and comfort to all her family. Audrey