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An Arkansas man who received a Bronze Star as an artillery officer in the Vietnam War has died at the age of 76.
Buddy Villines was born in Van Buren but grew up in seven Little Rock cities and towns, including Siloam Springs, where he excelled in football and track, according to his obituary.
He met his wife, Beverly Couch, at a going away party for a work friend, and they were members of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, where they sang in the Chancel Choir and the Joyful Noise and were members of the Young Adult Sunday School Class, to which they still belong, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.
Villines began his public service career after the war, when he joined the Little Rock City Manager's staff as the first zoning enforcement officer and assistant to the City Manager, while attending law school.
He then worked in the Department of Local Services as the Director of the Arkansas Manpower Program before being elected to the City of Little Rock Board of Directors in 1984.
He served three 2-year terms and was Vice Mayor and Mayor.
In his first major initiative as City Director, Buddy proposed an Interlocal Agreement among six local governments that redefined power sharing and funding responsibility for public transportation.
In 1990, Buddy began his public service career after Vietnam, when he
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