Lloyd John Vye
July 25, 1933 – May 15, 2021
Vye, Lloyd John, aka Bud Vye, 87 of Richmond, went to Heaven on May 15, 2021. Preceded in death, by his wife of 61 years Dorothy R. Vye in October; his father Lloyd Lowe Vye; mother Edna Geneva Fenske; step-father Charles U. Shellenberger; 3 step-brothers Don, Jack and Rolfe Shellenberger. He will be sorely missed by his sister Diana Clarke Dawson of Athens, GA; daughter Laura Wright of Mechanicsville, VA (grandsons Daniel and Evan Wright); son Andrew Vye of Atlanta, GA (daughter-in-law Dr. Carla Haack Vye); Sister-in-law Shirley Miller of Huntington Beach, CA, as well as by nieces, nephews, cousins and friends all over the US.
Bud was born in Mobridge, S.D. during the Great Depression to a school teacher and a nurse. The family moved to California at the beginning of WWII, where his father died tragically in an industrial accident. His mother re-married a widower who had 3 sons and they became a blended family of 7 in Haverford, PA where Bud graduated from Haverford HS excelling in Basketball.
Bud attended Springfield College majoring in Physical Education and having a good career in basketball. He was the team’s high scorer, Captain and made All-New England team in 1954. Then came 3 years in the Army with Artillery OCS & Airborne School, gaining rank of First Lieutenant. After completing his Master’s Degree in Recreation Management at NYU he married Dorothy Miller and moved to Philadelphia.
He worked for the Phila Recreation Dept for 14 years, first as Director of a City run summer camp for underprivileged children, then as Recreation Programs Supervisor. In 1970 he was appointed by the City as the facilities manager of Veterans Stadium which at that time was home to the Phillies and Eagles. During his time with the Recreation Dept. he co-founded the National Junior Tennis League youth instruction program in addition to directing operations of the annual Phila Indoor Tennis Tournament. Always a sports enthusiast, during this time Bud played tennis, volleyball, softball and especially loved white water paddling.
He left the Rec Dept at the end of 1973 to work for the retail chain BASCO as VP of operations in Cherry Hill, NJ. After 8 years, BASCO was acquired by Richmond based Best Products resulting in the family’s move to Richmond in 1982. He was Best Product’s Manager of Maintenance Services for 8 years, then he was Facilities Manager for Circuit City for another 8 years before retiring in 1998. During this period he was involved in the International Facility Management Assoc (IFMA) holding several positions.
Once retired Bud got involved in bicycling with Richmond Area Bicycling Assn (RABA) where he was their Advocacy Director for many years, leading to leadership of the statewide VA Bicycling Federation (VBF). He received numerous awards on the local and State level for his efforts related to transportation safety advocacy. He was heavily involved in the planning and construction of the Virginia Capital Trail. Spiritually, he was a long time member of Trinity UMC where he volunteered with the CARITAS shelter program for the homeless for more than 25 years. He was active with cycling, tennis, the Richmond Coin Club, Richmond Jazz Society, and enjoyed attending his College and HS reunions.
Celebration of Life Service to be held Sunday, July 25 at Trinity United Methodist Church 903 Forest Avenue 2PM with reception afterwards. Interment will follow later at Fairhaven Cemetery, Fairhaven, MN in the Vye family plot. The family requests that if you would like to dedicate a memorial in Bud’s name please do so to the Virginia Bicycling Federation C/O Brantley Tyndall. 100 Avenue of Champions, suite 300. Richmond, VA 23230
I will miss this genuine person and will always have fond
Memories of the times that Bud and I spent with IFMA. bud was a mentor to me and helped me get the Richmond Chapter of IFMA started and helped grow the membership to what it is today. He will be sorely missed. Rest In Peace Bud.
Thank you Tom, I uncovered quite a collection of IFMA convention name badge ribbons covered with networking pins! Daughter Laura
Tom, if you get this message, please contact Ranny
Bud, a guy always with a smile. A person who made life safer for bicyclists. A fellow always willing to help out!
Thank you John!
Dear Family, On behalf of Richmond Jazz Society, Incorporated please accept our sincerest condolences. We will miss seeing Bud at our Guest Educators Series Concerts and at his favorite table at VMFA’s Jazz Cafe’. Bud was a long-time supporter of RJS and our mission to educate, preserve and advance Jazz music as America’s treasure. He will be missed but not forgotten.
“Bright Moments, Bud!”
Robert Payne, President; B. J. Brown, Executive Director and The Richmond Jazz Society Family.
Thank you so much for these thoughts! His Visa bills reflected almost weekly visits to VFMA during jazz season
We met Bud and Dot at a Vye family reunion in New Brunswick Canada in 1997. We felt like first cousins from the start. Bud’s love of the Phillies gave us some great memories. Particularly attending the 2008 World Series together. Bud’s positive attitude was infectious. We miss you.
Thank you Kemp! So glad you did the zoom call with us at Christmas!
Many great conversations with Bud and Dottie at the Wednesday Night Fellowship at Trinity UMC..
Found that we had an interesting connection, as well. The best man at their wedding was my high school Basketball coach.
Very interesting and many faceted man. What a full life!
Thank you for these memories Bob, what a small world to have such a coincidence !
I met Bud through the Net set Tennis Group, where we became fast friends and buddies. He was the only other Vet that was Army Airborne and we attended Veterans Day celebrations together. Bud was one of the most intelligent, focused guys I ever met, He had a remarkable memory for facts and details. We all have fond memories of Bud an d he will also be remembered by the tennis group for his “suitcase” racket holder.
Airborne!
All the Way!
Thank you for these memories Bill! He had everything one could need in that tennis case, eh? He loved seniors doubles tennis. He has a brick I bought him at Wayside Memorial Park in Hanover if you want to look for it sometime, towards the front right, as Army 1st LT.
I just love Bud Vye and am saddened to hear of his loss. What a legacy he leaves! I rode with him a lot in the 1980s and 1990s and saw him at concerts around town after that. He would take new bike riders under his wing and show us the way, ever patient, explaining all we need to know to stay safe on the road. What a kind, generous, and interesting man and a good friend. I credit him with getting me on the path to being a cyclist, which is a hobby that makes me happy to this day. I am ever grateful to Bud for all he did for me personally and for the Richmond bicycling community as a whole. He lobbied hard for cycling safety laws and policies and the Capital Trail is such a gem for the whole region. I have so much to thank Bud for. Please know what a good and important man he was and that many are very indebted to him and appreciate all his fine characteristics.
Thank you for these heartwarming remarks!
Uncle Bud is such an amazing person. So blessed to hear some his story during a visit with the Vyes in August 2020. Not an easy childhood yet he became a friendly, warm, intelligent active person who spent a life time loving other people. His advocacy for the cycling community is legendary! We are all so lucky to have such a fine example of a human being in our lives. Thank you Uncle Bud for sharing your beautiful spirit with us. Glad to know you are now in perfect peace, joy and rest with Aunt Dot and your Lord and Savior. Love, Lisa
Thanks cousin!
Walter Cecchini I only knew Bud for a short time living at Discovery Village, what a nice man to talk to I really miss him, MAY GOD BLESS HIM and THE Vye FAMILY
Thank you Walter! He very much enjoyed having dinners with you.