Obituaries

James Robert "Bud" Kilman

Photo of James Robert "Bud" Kilman
James Robert "Bud" Kilman, 77 of Des Moines, Iowa a former Iowa State corrections official and Waterloo, Iowa television and radio newsman died Sunday, December 19, 2010 after a year long battle with lung cancer. Mr. Kilman was born Tuesday, February 14, 1933 in Bald Knob, Arkansas to the late Lloyd and Ethel (Baugher) Kilman. The family moved to Arizona in 1935 and returned to Arkansas in 1947. He graduated from Bald Knob High School in 1952 and graduated from Southern Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. After serving in the U.S. Air Force in Africa and Iowa, he worked at KXEL, KWWL and WMT throughout the 1960's in Des Moines, Iowa. He also worked as a newsman for KWCB in Searcy, Arkansas. He helped to pioneer Iowa's community-based corrections system in the 1970's. AS Director of the community corrections for the First Judicial District, he oversaw the opening of half-way houses in Northeast Iowa. Mr. Kilman retired in 2000 and worked as an independent contractor handling property transactions for the city of West Des Moines until 2009. He was a private pilot and skydiver. His interests ranged from helping troubled youth in Des Moines to studying the conflict in the Middle East where he traveled with the Fellowship of Reconciliation in 2004. Mr. Kilman is survived by his wife, Beverly of Des Moines and five children; Lita Wester and Terry Kilman of Waterloo, Scott Kilman (Patricia) of Park Ridge, Illinois, Jill Brand (Scott) of Titusville, Florida, and Joy Rothwell (Michael) of Burr Oak, Iowa. Grandchildren are Lisa Abdulghani, Lucas Abdulghani, Aaron Brand, Jordan Brand, Bennett Kilman, Helen Kilman, James Kilman, Jack Rothwell and Dustin Wester. He is also survived by four sisters; Barbara Rice of Kensett, Arkansas, Nadine Abbott Llewellyn Delaney and Judy Adcock, all of Camden, Arkansas. The family requests memorial contributions be made to Heifer International @ www.heifer.org. A Memorial Service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, May 14, 2011 in the chapel of Roller-Daniel Funeral Home in Searcy with inurnment following the service at the Fredonia Cemetery near Bald Knob and Judsonia. Online guestbook www.rollerfuneralhomes.com or 501-268-3546.

Published May 13, 2011

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