Preceded by Philip E. Batt Name Reed Budge Succeeded by Jim Risch Role Politician | Political party Republican Party Republican Party Spouse(s) Gwen Steffensen | |
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Born January 7, 1921
Logan, Utah, USA ( 1921-01-07 ) Children Doug, Linda, Randy, Brian, Suzanne Alma mater Utah State University
University of Chicago Medical School Died August 7, 1987, Soda Springs, Idaho, United States Education University of Chicago, Utah State University | ||
Reed William Budge (January 7, 1921 – August 7, 1987) was a politician and rancher in the U.S. state of Idaho. He resided in Soda Springs.
Budge was born in 1921 in Logan, Utah to Thomas and Duella Budge. He was a relative of former U.S. congressman Hamer H. Budge and Idaho Supreme Court justice Alfred Budge. Budge graduated from Utah State University in 1946 and also attended University of Chicago Medical School. He served in Europe during World War II as a medic in the United States Army with General George Patton's 2nd Armored Division, Hell on Wheels, and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. During his military service Budge was awarded a Purple Heart and 3 Bronze Star Medals for "acts of valor in combat" (Normandy, Northern France, and Germany Campaigns). On January 5, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge, Budge distinguished himself by "gallantry in action" near the town of Beffe, Belgium and was awarded the Silver Star Medal.
In 1963, Budge was elected county commissioner of Caribou County, Idaho. Later, in 1967 he was appointed to complete a term as a Republican in the Idaho State Senate. During his time in the state senate for the 32nd district, Budge sat on transportation, health, environment, education and welfare committees. He was elected as pro tempore of the Idaho Senate in 1978, serving until 1982 when he was succeeded by Jim Risch. Budge also maintained an attendance record, described by a newspaper as "one of the most remarkable", not missing a senate session for 12 years until 1978, when a family death forced him to miss one. He retired from the senate in 1986. Budge suddenly died one year later at his home in Soda Springs of an aneurysm, aged 66.
He married Gwen Steffensen in 1943 and had five children, Reed Douglas, Linda Duella, Randall Christian, Brian William, and Suzanne.
Budge was a cattle rancher in Soda Springs, Idaho.