Edwin L. “Buck” Mayberry

Edwin L. “Buck” Mayberry, age 90, passed away on November 24, 2024 at the VA Community Living Center.
Ed was born September 28, 1934 in Philip, south Dakota to Charles and Marian (Weber) Mayberry. He graduated high school from Rapid City Central in 1953. During his senior year he took up boxing. He became the West River Golden Glove Champion and second in the State of South Dakota. He later joined the United States Marine Corp. Upon his discharge, he continued his education and received his master’s degree in mathematics. He got his first teaching/coaching job at Buffalo, South Dakota. It was there he met and later married Dorothy Oja on January 30, 1960. To this union, four children were added, Zelda, Corina, Shane and Terri. Later, after years of fostering numerous children, Aiden was added to the family. They made Miles City their home. Ed had a very full life. He taught at Miles Community College for several decades. He refereed football, basketball and wrestling. He was instrumental in starting the wrestling and rodeo programs at MCC. He coached wrestling for 7 years. He then went on to become the Miles Community College rodeo coach for 25 plus years. In which time he had many national qualifiers. He was also selected as a Big Sky Rodeo Director. During the summers, starting in 1963, he went to work for the Bureau of Land Management as a fire fighter. He continued working summers for 56 years and was the oldest active fire fighter. He earned the nickname “Straight Ahead Ed” and “Bucky Full Speed”.
Ed loved hunting and fishing and was still talking about it at the time of his passing. He passed his love of hunting and fishing onto his sons and grandsons. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Miles Community College and was Grand Marshall of the Bucking Horse Parade. Ed was on the Miles City School board for several years. He was a member of the Elks Lodge and the Range Riders. He volunteered at Holy Rosary Hospital and Range Riders. He looked forward to working the tournaments in town by taking tickets or running the hospitality room. He participated in the Big Sky State Games and won several medals. He enriched many lives playing Santa and Smokey Bear. He was an avid Green Bay Packers Fan.
Ed is survived by his wife Dorothy of 64 years, daughters: Zelda Stairs (Kent Koester), Corina (Wade) Berry, Terri (Bret) Bowen, and sons: Shane and Aiden; grandkids: Wayne Berry, Ace (Carrie) Berry, Trista (Ty) Manke, Amy Bender, Shay (Teddi) Bender, Raven (Ty) Spencer, Mason Mayberry and 4 bonus grandsons: Jacob Harrington, Kash, Kane and Keaton Rosenbalm and 11 great grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister-in-law Del Sexton; brothers-in-law: Larry (Cathy) Oja and Randy Gilbert; several nieces and nephews, cousins and his extended VA family.
Family will receive friends on Friday, November 29, 2024 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Miles Community College Room 108 , 2715 Dickinson Street in Miles City. Interment will be held in the Custer County Cemetery. Condolences may be made to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made in Ed’s honor to the MCC Rodeo Team for a scholarship.