William Merritt (Bud) Brinkley, 79, of 23905 Mountain Valley Road, Millboro, Virginia, died Saturday, April 3, 2010 at Bath County Community Hospital in Hot Springs.

He was born in Bath County, Virginia on April 13, 1930, a son of the late William H. and Cathryn Plecker Brinkley.

He was a retired farmer with Buxton Farms in Millboro and worked as a grounds man at The Homestead for a number of years.

He was a former member of the Bath County School Board, member of the Millboro Ruritan Club and was awarded Knight of Buxton, Jouster and was inducted in 1991 to the National Jousting Hall of Fame.

Bud was a life member of the Coleman-Brinkley Post #4204 Veterans of Foreign Wars in Hot Springs, and served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1953.

He was a member of the Woodland Union Church and was a life member of Bluegrass Hunt Club.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Peggy Doyle Brinkley of Millboro; a daughter, Frances A. Brinkley of Millboro; a son and daughter-in-law, Dennis W. and Julie Brinkley of Millboro; 3 brothers, Wilton C. and Rita Brinkley of Ohio, Grant P. and Nancy Brinkley of Verona, and Larry D. and Ann Brinkley of Idaho; 4 grandchildren, Danielle Brinkley, Derek Brinkley, Tiffany Brinkley and Shauna Brinkley; an aunt, Virginia Woods of Arlington; and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son William Edward (Ed) Brinkley, a brother, Hugh (Dutch) Brinkley and by 2 sisters, Elsie Puglise and Faye Serkedakis.

A funeral service will be conducted Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. from Woodland Union Church in Millboro with the Rev. David George officiating. Interment will follow in Woodland Church Cemetery, where graveside military rites will be presented by Coleman-Brinkley Post 4204 Veterans of Foreign Wars. Active pallbearers will be Dale Loan, Frankie Brinkley, Tommy Wood, Glen Hicklin, Grant P. Brinkley, Jr., Philip Clark, and Greg Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Tennant and Donald Loan.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m.. until time of service at the church. The family suggest memorial tributes take the form of contributions to Millboro Area Rescue Squad, (M.A.R.S.), Attn: Treasurer, Millboro, VA 24460.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge., Virginia.