Irving H. Shriber, 86, Was Man of Simple Pleasures

Irving H. Shriber, known to his friends as Bud, died Wednesday, Sept. 21, after a two-week battle with pneumonia and complications from a recent onset of diabetes. His wife and daughter were at his bedside.

He was born in St. Louis, Mo., on June 4, 1919, to parents Jonah and Julia Shriber. Bud attended Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and served in World War II as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. His B-24 plane was shot down over the outskirts of Budapest on April 13, 1944. He was taken prisoner and spent the next year as a prisoner of war in Germany.

Bud and his wife, Barbara, left Kansas City retiring to the Vineyard in 1996. Bud became an active member of Saint Andrew's Church in Edgartown. He also took great joy in his participation with the Community Solar Greenhouse (COMSOG). Bud was known for his humor. One was always assured of a good laugh when encountering him. He was a man of simple pleasures and he loved ice cream. He would collect an amazing selection in the freezer, thus being prepared for dessert for 50 at all times. He loved his yearly trips to New Mexico to the family pecan ranch where he would harvest, sort, crack and clean the pecans - often roasting them for all visitors. He loved tinkering in his workshop. Bud could fix just about anything - and did for all of us.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of 55 years; daughter Nancee Shriber and granddaughter Julia Milner of New York city; son Joshua Shriber and grandchildren Anastasia, Chloe and Mason of Kansas City, Mo.; sister Antoinette Powell of Dayton, Ohio and nieces Judy Renz and Sandy Northey, also of Ohio and Barbara's sister Louise Thorpe and husband Harold.

A memorial service will be held at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The American Lung Association of Massachusetts, 5 Mountain Road, Burlington, MA 01803.