David Arthur Bidwell (December 31, 1931 - April 18, 2013)   A graveside service with military honors is scheduled for David Arthur Bidwell, 81, of Roswell at 11 am Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at South Park Cemetery in Roswell, NM. Visitation will be on Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 12 pm to 5 pm, Sunday, April 21, from 12 pm to 8 pm and Monday, April 22, from 8 am to 8 pm at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home. David passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2013. David was born December 31, 1931 in West Suffield, Connecticut. He served in the US Army for 20 years and 15 days as a nurse. He loved cleaning his green ware and cooking fudge. He was a life-long hunter and fisher, he was also an avid snow skier. His part-time job in high school was serving as a downhill ski patrol in the Lake Winnepasaukee, NH region.

 He loved to scuba dive, had achieved Master Diver certification, and had dived off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. He developed a strong golf game, and is still very proud of the hole-in-one he made. He was an avid bowler. Later in life, he and a buddy enjoyed panning for gold in the local mountains, and he had been planning a dream trip to Alaska to pan those mountains.

He had served his country loyally for many years before the Vietnam war started. He spent over a year in Vietnam, as a medic, jumping out of helicopters and treating the wounded on the field of battle. After his military service, he completed a Master's Degree in Psychology, and worked several more years as drug and alcohol counselor at the Huntsville Penitentiary in Huntsville, TX. He was a gentle soul, loved the simple things in life - good friends, family, the outdoors, good food and coffee. His soul fought hard to stay among us, but his body gave out. He will be sorely missed. We feel blessed to have had him in our life.

He is survived by his loving wife of the home, Jacqueline, one daughter; Linda Bidwell Petschow and her husband, Bryon and their two sons, Thomas ( Tommy ) Elliott Wolgamott, II and Matthew Burke Wolgamott of Youngsville, NC; step daughters; Debra Kulig of Bettendorf, Iowa; Rebecca Imming of Moline, Ill; Lori and Jerry Sisneros of Roswell NM; Barbara Hall of Probe, Utah; step sons Danny Kerns of St. Joseph, MO; Dennis Kerns and wife Margaret Trujillo of Rio Rancho, NM; his brother-in-law, Joseph Sullivan; grandchildren; Mathew Shepard and wife Jesica; Amanda and Roger McDonald of Indianapolis, IN and Loni and Gilbert Mora of Indianapolis; Tyler Kulig and his wife, Carman, Trenton Kulig, Lindsy Kulig, Ashley Immings, Josh Kerns, Denise Kerns, Karen Lanser and her husband, Brian, Ashley, Justin, and 19 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, David F. and Eloise ( Johnstone ) Bidwell, his daughter, Marilyn Bidwell, his sisters, Helen Sullivan and Judy Ann Larrivee and his brother, Robert Bidwell.

Pallbearers are: Scott Neff, Ralph Kaler, Robert Sparks, Denis Kerns, Mathew Shepard, Jerry Sisneros.

Honorary Pallbearer, Bryon Petschow.

Memorial to follow service at Roswell Adult Center at 1 pm.

Services are under the direction of Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory.