John “Bud” Kese

John “Bud” Kese of Goode, Virginia, gave us his last of many memories on January 2, 2026.

Born to Velta (Upeslacis) & Herberts Kese on June 5, 1939, in Riga, Latvia. The Keses, including his late sister Vita and late brother Karl, fled from Latvia during World War II due to German occupation, and did not return due to post-war Russian oppression. With the war over, from a Displaced Person camp near Fischbach, Germany, where his sister Silvia was also born, a determined letter-writing campaign from his father resulted in sponsorship from the First Congregational Church of Appleton (WI) to immigrate in 1950, and the family ultimately gained citizenship in 1955.

His first experience in the United States was to be hosted by the late Arthur Chandler Taylor, MD, and his wife Edith, along with their late children Helen, Elizabeth, and Dr. A. Reed Taylor—“brother Reed”—and the entire Appleton community. All of the Keses are forever indebted to the Taylors for their kindness, generosity, and selflessness. The family later moved to Madison, WI, where John attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating to a job at General Electric.

His Appleton roots were formative—he met the love of his life, Mary “Bubbie” LeMoine, and they have been connected ever since through a lifetime of sharing, challenges, projects, laughs, giving, and success—including the raising of their three children: Kelly (husband Michael “Mike” Craighead), Scott (wife Patricia “Patti”), and Andrew “Drew” (wife Audrey). We would be remiss if the late Connor Van Doren—“Lark”—was not called out as his partner-in-everything from their childhood in Appleton through the rest of their lives, no matter how far apart. RIP Lark.

A General Electric “lifer,” his career spanned time in Milwaukee (WI); Bridgeport (CT) as assistant to a board member; Decatur (IL) GE Audio & Electronics; Syracuse (NY) GE Audio, CB Radio, Small Appliances; Lynchburg (VA) GE Telephone and later Ericsson-GE general manager; and ultimately a “commute” back to Milwaukee where he ran GE Ultrasound. Whether traveling the world or home from a day at the office, he brought back stories of friends, fraternity, and dedicated work with lifelong lessons.

He will be fondly remembered for his spark to create a connection with people and a community. There are too many to mention, but time spent in Liverpool (NY) made fond memories of projects throughout the “Circle” of families, creating ice rinks in the neighborhood park, garage sales, pig roasts, and always being available to lend a hand or a tool.

That same giving and neighborly spark came to Goode (VA), where he lived and retired to a life-long dream of having a farm—putzing day and night. From beef cattle, hay, bees, bass ponds, trout farming, ducks, and more—oh, the laugh-out-loud stories all these Bud-led adventures created. Thanks, Bud—we learned a lot and we laughed a lot.

What rose above in Goode was sharing his days with grandchildren Samantha (husband Peter with sons Kaden and Kai), John, Margaret “Maggie,” and William “Will” (Scott & Patti), plus Andrew & Isabella “Bella” (Drew & Audrey) on their many visits. In his words, “As good as it gets.”

Like everywhere he lived, nothing was his. It was everyone’s to share... from countless offers to families catching their first fish (and biggest!) in the pond, permission to hunt, borrowing tools (or him) for projects... and most of all, he so appreciated what everyone gave back to him—too many to list—whether family, friends, or acquaintances he so wanted to say “thank you” for lending a hand to his projects whether big or small.

In honoring his wishes, there will be no services or funeral. His family shares in his gratitude for all the help that has been given over the years, and hopes the help already given serves as enough to honor his memory. In any case, if you want to give, please give to another through helping a family member or friend with a project as he did, or donating to a local cause close to you or them in his name; his most frequented local charity was Hunters For The Hungry (h4hungry.org/donate-financially/).

We will live through so many of his memories and stories, plus please join us in paying forward to others what he paid forward to us. Thank you, Bud. Thank you, all.

Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.