William E. Winship, 83, of Overland Park, KS, passed away Saturday, May 22, 2021. Visitation will be 11:00 AM followed by a Celebration of Life at 12:00 PM, Wednesday, May 26th at First Baptist Church of Overland Park, 8200 West 96st Street, Overland Park, KS. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to First Baptist Church of Overland Park, Patient Services Inc., or the charity of your choice.
Bud was born on Christmas Eve, 1937, to William J and Amy Morris Winship. He grew up in Devon, Kansas, as the second oldest of six children: Mary, William, Richard, Dean, Sandra and John. William’s sister Mary was trying to say the word “brother” and it came out “Bud.” The name stuck. He was Bud ever since.
Bud and Ronda met in high school at Uniontown, and they would graduate together in 1956. They were married at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Uniontown on August 17, 1957.
In Fort Scott, they started out in a simple apartment. Bud worked at Comstock’s Service Station and Ronda was a secretary for Western Insurance. They bought their first house in Fort Scott, and Joe was born in 1961. Mike would be born in 1964, before the family came up to “the big City,” buying a house in Overland Park, on the growing southern edge of Kansas City, in January of 1965. Later in October of 1965, Amy was born. Bud and Ronda and the family have called the house on Russell street home ever since.
The particular job that Bud had been planning on when they first came to Overland Park did not work out, so he tried selling cars, and he tried selling insurance, among other work. But then he began working for the Metal Goods Corporation and seemed to find his niche as a Warehouseman and Foreman in the metal and fastener industry, and Bud worked for Special T Metals for over 21 years. Bud is remembered for his honesty and for his work ethic. Truly every fastener Bud ever handled could be said to hold together a part of the world.
While he worked hard, he also liked to play. He had a good nature and good humor, a quick wit, which he passed on to his kids. One of the great joys of Bud’s life was making music with family and friends. He first learned to play the mandolin on the back of the school bus out on the country roads. Maybe he did not always express his feelings in words, but instead through his music...
Bud and Ronda were married for over 63 years. They made a life together! The fruit of their labor was, is a legacy of family and friends. He is survived by his wife Ronda, brother, Richard and Vicki Winship of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, children: Joe and Liz Winship of Gypsum, Kansas, Mike and Tammy Winship of Overland Park, Amy Gronberg and John Beardall of Uniontown, Kansas, eleven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.