Orville Dale Kidwell

On December 7, 2020, Orville Dale Kidwell (Papa) left this Earth into eternal life with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He will also rejoin the embrace of the love of his life, his wife of 53 years, Barbara Ann Kidwell (Nana), who passed away less than 6 months ago on June 21, 2020.  

Born June 6, 1946, Dale was proud to be from Richmond, Kentucky.  Dale was an athlete growing up, playing in all the high school sports.  But his passion was basketball.  His teammates knew him as “Butch” and also knew that he could shoot the lights out on the floor.  

Like so many residents of this community, the US Air Force brought Dale to Otero County in 1964.  Stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, Dale met and fell in love with Barbara Ann.  They were companions, soul mates, and beloved to each other for 53 years.  Dale would also fall in love with the great Southwest here in New Mexico.  Except for a brief stay in Vietnam, Dale would never leave Alamogordo, NM.

Soon after returning from military duties overseas, Dale left the US Air Force, and joined the US Postal Service, where he worked tremendously hard and long for 36 years.  The last 6 of those years he spent in the top position as supervisor of the Alamogordo Post Office.

If you were ever hungry, or needed a cold Budweiser beer, you were always welcome at the Kidwell’s home.  And if you went by, you would never leave hungry or parched.  You would have also been treated to nonstop old, outlaw, country music (unless of course the Kentucky Wildcat basketball team was on the TV).  The kind of country music that had a fiddle and a steel guitar.  And, if you got to stay long enough, you would have no doubt began to learn about life, love, hard work, family, and all the rest of the tremendous qualities that belonged to Dale.

Dale is preceded in death by his mother, Beulah Cradic; his father, Hobert Cradic; his sister, Patricia (Patty) Bennett; his nephew, Steven Gullette; special family members, Ollie Putteet, Jeannette Putteet and Etta Putteet.

A very proud father of 4 children, he is survived by Annette Black (Donald) of Las Cruces; Dale Ray Kidwell of Alamogordo; Jeffrey Scott Kidwell of Bossier City, LA; and Sabrina Holmes (Todd) of Alamogordo.  Dale was blessed with 15 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and 1 on the way! Dale is also survived by his sweet older sister, Joyce Gullette.  

The Kidwell family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Alamogordo Funeral Home to direct the arrangements.

Daddy… Papa… Butch… we are gonna miss you so very, very, very much.  Thank you tremendously for all your wisdom, common sense, love, honesty, integrity, and as a role model for all of us to strive to become.  Oh, what a difference you made …. in my life, in all of our lives!

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