Community Spotlight on Dewayne (Bud) Kitley

Bud Kitley: Family man, trapshooter and business owner

Bud Kitley attended Dewey school and graduated from Stockbridge High School.

by Cindy Lance

At a dance in 1960, Sy Simons talked Dewayne “Bud” Kitley into attending a shoot at the Munith Gun Club. The request turned out to really hit the target. Bud, Munith business owner and family man, had found a lifelong hobby.

Three years later, Bud progressed to shooting registered targets. Soon, his whole family became involved in one way or another.

Wife Connie shot for a few years and then, along with daughters Pat and Dawn, took care of the clubhouse and concessions. Sons Chuck and Carl set traps and helped maintain the club, as did a number of the grandchildren.

Family comes first
Bud was born to Kenneth and Shirley (Brown) Kitley, of Munith, the first of four children. Siblings Barb, George and Janet followed. He attended Dewey school and graduated from Stockbridge High School.

Now on the approach of their 65th wedding anniversary, Bud said “you need someone to keep you straight, and Connie sure has tried to do that.”

In May 1953, his sister, Barb, introduced him to her friend, Connie Cowan. Romance bloomed and Bud and Connie were married in October that same year.

Now on the approach of their 65th wedding anniversary, Bud said “you need someone to keep you straight, and Connie sure has tried to do that.”

They consider their four children their greatest accomplishments: Patricia (Reggie) Riba, Chuck (Jo) Kitley, Carl (Teri) Kitley and Dawn (Clark) Titus.

They also were blessed with 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. The loss of two grandsons was the saddest experience of his life, but the “strength of family keeps you going,” he said.

Bud credits grandparents Oliver and Ora Kitley as one of his greatest influences, as he lived with them off and on throughout his youth.

“Grandpa lost everything in the Depression,” Bud said. “He persevered, worked hard, and never went into debt again.”

“I learned you never take anything for granted, and you have to live with your conscience,” he said.

Brother George said Bud is “the best brother I could have ever had, and the best neighbor.” The two have lived next to each other for 56 years.

Bud Kitley (in camp) with family. Photo credit: Janet (Kitley) Senyko.

Working hard
In 1955 while working other jobs, Bud started K&D Kitley Excavation and Sanitation with his father. In 1968, Bud transitioned to full time at the business.

Over the years, he has installed thousands of drain fields and pumped thousands of septic tanks. Incredibly, he seems to remember each and every one.

On a recent trip to Ann Arbor, he maintained a nonstop monologue, detailing work he had performed on properties he passed. The names of owners past and present, and even how much he had earned on each job.

Taking charge 
Bud’s love of the sport of trapshooting drew him to become more involved, and he was a member of the Michigan Trapshooting Association board of directors from 1989 to 2012, serving four years as president.

“He was instrumental in improvements to the MTA, and influenced state laws and ATA policies,” the MTA stated on its website. “When anti-gunners tried to shut down the MTA, Bud got politicians involved. The Michigan politicians passed a law that protected gun clubs.”

When asked about this time in trapshooting history, Bud, president at the time, said “they tried to shut down the Mason Gun Club, and that weekend was one of the most difficult weekends of my life.”

Lasting contributions
The ATA target year used to run from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. But Bud had a discussion with MTA delegate, Joe Loving, and requested the ATA start the target year on Sept. 1.

Bud reasoned that since the World Series is held at the end of the baseball season and the August-held Grand American is trapshooting’s equivalent to the World Series, the target year should end after the Grand American.

His idea held sway, and today, because of this ATA change, trapshooters living in colder climates now have more time to register targets in good weather and have them count in the new target year.

While Bud’s most significant contributions derive from the administration of the MTA, he has had great success as a shooter, winning trophies in Michigan, Florida, and at the Grand in Columbus, Ohio. In his 2014 appearance at the Grand, Bud shot the second-best score of the competition with a 98, with two individuals shooting a 99 and tying for first place. This was no easy feat and a proud trapshooter moment.