HUDSON, Fla. — Claude Frederick “Budd” Loesch, age 82, died in his Beacon Woods home on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013.
He was born to Gordon Edward and Geraldine Laura Loesch at his grandparent’s home in Erie, Pa., on Nov. 28, 1930. He grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, and was reared by his mother and stepfather Richard Whitaker on a farm on South Ridge East.
At the age of 15, he ran away from home and joined the U.S. Army, after convincing recruiters he was 17. He served nearly a year before being sent home and was paid to finish high school under the GI Bill.
Loesch began his dream job of training horses, and trained and showed horses for various owners in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He married Phyllis Corbett on April 7, 1950, at First Baptist Church, Ashtabula, Ohio.
During the Korean Conflict, Loesch served with the U.S. Air Force 6002nd Air Intelligence Group. He was honorably discharged from Eglin AFB in 1955.
Loesch began his newspaper career at the Ashtabula Star Beacon as staff photographer and later worked in the New Process Division on Elm Street and was trained on the company’s $250,000 Photon phototypesetting machine. He worked at the Beacon from 1955 to 1964. In 1960, he married Kay Pickard from Ashtabula. Loesch assumed management responsibilities that took him to newspapers and printing companies in Cleveland, Lansing, Ill., Oshkosh, Wis., Ketchikan and Cordova, Alaska, Chehalis, Wash., Castle Rock, Col., and New Port Richey, Fla. Loesch retired to Bayonet Point, Fla., with his wife of 52 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather; infant son, Phillip Thomas Loesch; and granddaughter, Sarah Jane Loesch.
He is survived by his wife, Kay; sister, Jerie Leigh (Ed) Pickard; four sons, Ron (Anne), Randy (Kathy), Tom (Rebecca) and Jerry (Sandi); six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; nephew, Mark (Kim) Pickard; niece, Lisa Pickard; and great-nephews, Ben and Andy Pickard.
Memorial services will be held 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2nd, at Beacon Baptist Church where Loesch was a Deacon. Loesch is interred at Grace Memorial Gardens in Hudson, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Beacon Baptist Church, 13343 Fivay Road, Hudson, Fla. 34667.
Obituary and condolences at starbeacon.com.
