DENVER GENE KIDD

Denver Gene Kidd, age 78, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, formerly of Pine Knot, Kentucky, passed away Tuesday, January 13, 2009.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 17, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Pine Knot Funeral Home with Rev. William Kilby officiating. He will be laid to rest at the T. Chitwood Cemetery in Pine Knot with graveside military honors provided by the US Army Casualty Detail of Fort Campbell. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6 a€" 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Born July 24, 1930, he was the son of the late Jessie Earl and Madge Lee Kidd who precede him in death. Also preceding him in death is his brother Dean Kidd.

He is survived by his daughter Kathy d. Barnes of Smiths, Alabama (husband Hubert P. Barnes) and his son Dr. Michael G. Kidd (wife Virginia G. Kidd) of Hope Mills, North Carolina. Mr. Kidd also leaves behind six grandchildren, Michelle Shedd, Amanda Norman, Jessica Rozman, Christopher Kidd, Jessica Bailey and Kathryn Bailey. He also will be missed by his three great-grandchildren, Brianna, Kaleigh, and Curtis. Surviving brothers and sisters include Lonnie Kidd of Sloans Valley, Kentucky, Robert Kidd of Milford, Ohio, Gary Kidd of Sardinia, Ohio, Marcella Ryan of Pine Knot, Joyce Juraska of Ft. Worth, Texas, Eileen Baird of Strunk, Kentucky and Sue Tribble of Simpsonsville, South Carolina.

Mr. Kidd was a 33 year veteran of the US Army where he rose to the rank of CW4. He was a tank commander during the Korean War assigned to the 72nd tank battalion as an SFC. Mr. Kidd spent two tours in Vietnam as a pilot. His first tour was with the 3rd Radio Research Unit as a fixed-wing aviator and in his 2nd tour he deployed with the 1st Air Calvary Division as a Chinook pilot. Mr. Kidd was awarded seventeen Air Medals during his two years in combat in Vietnam. He was a master Army Aviator and Chinese Army Aviator.