The Life of LOUIS PAUL BREDESKY JR
Louis P. “Buddy” Bredesky Jr., 80, died of complications from pulmonary hypertension on May 10, 2015. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 13, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 N.W. 60th Ave., funeral services will take place Thursday, May 14, at 10:30 a.m., at Luther Memorial Church, 1201 Grandview Ave., followed by lunch, and burial at 2:30 p.m., at Highland Memory Gardens, 1 N.E. 60th Ave.
Lou was born in Des Moines in 1934. He attended Canary Lake School, East High School, Grandview College, and graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Industrial Technology in 1956. After working briefly for Solar Aircraft Company, he was drafted into the Army where he served as an atomic/thermonuclear bomb mechanical repairman at Killeen Base, Texas. After his honorable discharge in 1959, he returned to Des Moines where he was employed as a manufacturing engineer by Ford Tractor, Massey Ferguson, and John Deere, retiring in 1997.
While attending Grandview College, he met Elaine Nelson of Meckling, S.D., and the couple were married in August 1956. During their 59 years together, they raised three children, traveled the world, and always found time for family, friends, and racing. They were active members at Luther Memorial Church, where he shared his faith with others.
Lou had a passion for automobiles and automobile racing. With his 1924 Ford Model T powered by a highly modified, 302 GMC six-cylinder engine, he was the Greater Des Moines Dragway’s Season Points Champion three years in a row between 1959 and 1964. In 1979, he became involved with the Jensen Construction sprint car #55, which led to his fervor for sprint car racing until his death. He could be found Saturday nights at the Knoxville Raceway and was a founding member of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Iowa.
His hobbies included reading about automobiles, airplanes, and WWII history, emailing computer friends, taking thousands of pictures, racing, and attending classes at Grandview University. He enjoyed cruising warm summer nights in one of his two Model T roadster street rods or his 1932 Ford Highboy.
Lou is survived by his wife, Elaine; his children, Mike Bredesky, Jill (Bredesky) Fishbaugh, and Kay (Bredesky) Dry; grandchildren, Kyle & Logan Bredesky, Seth & Luke Dry; daughter-in-law, Jan Bredesky; and sons-in-law, Justin Fishbaugh and Michael Dry. He is preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Mary Bredesky, and sister, Judith (Bredesky) Smith.
Memorial contributions may be made to Luther Memorial Church, Grandview University, and the Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.
Lou was born in Des Moines in 1934. He attended Canary Lake School, East High School, Grandview College, and graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Industrial Technology in 1956. After working briefly for Solar Aircraft Company, he was drafted into the Army where he served as an atomic/thermonuclear bomb mechanical repairman at Killeen Base, Texas. After his honorable discharge in 1959, he returned to Des Moines where he was employed as a manufacturing engineer by Ford Tractor, Massey Ferguson, and John Deere, retiring in 1997.
While attending Grandview College, he met Elaine Nelson of Meckling, S.D., and the couple were married in August 1956. During their 59 years together, they raised three children, traveled the world, and always found time for family, friends, and racing. They were active members at Luther Memorial Church, where he shared his faith with others.
Lou had a passion for automobiles and automobile racing. With his 1924 Ford Model T powered by a highly modified, 302 GMC six-cylinder engine, he was the Greater Des Moines Dragway’s Season Points Champion three years in a row between 1959 and 1964. In 1979, he became involved with the Jensen Construction sprint car #55, which led to his fervor for sprint car racing until his death. He could be found Saturday nights at the Knoxville Raceway and was a founding member of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Iowa.
His hobbies included reading about automobiles, airplanes, and WWII history, emailing computer friends, taking thousands of pictures, racing, and attending classes at Grandview University. He enjoyed cruising warm summer nights in one of his two Model T roadster street rods or his 1932 Ford Highboy.
Lou is survived by his wife, Elaine; his children, Mike Bredesky, Jill (Bredesky) Fishbaugh, and Kay (Bredesky) Dry; grandchildren, Kyle & Logan Bredesky, Seth & Luke Dry; daughter-in-law, Jan Bredesky; and sons-in-law, Justin Fishbaugh and Michael Dry. He is preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Mary Bredesky, and sister, Judith (Bredesky) Smith.
Memorial contributions may be made to Luther Memorial Church, Grandview University, and the Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.