Remembering Grandpa

Eulogy for Louis Edward Butler

March 16, 1923 - July 27, 2005

by Mark Edward Butler, grandson
at the funeral service
July 30, 2005

Louis Edward Butler was born March 16, 1923, at Haswell, Colorado to Jesse L. Butler and Mable E. (Davis) Butler. He was the first of their four sons and was followed by brothers Charles, Eldon, and Delbert.

Grandpa was a great story teller and loved to reminisce about his childhood, and often told us stories about his experiences. He loved to make a good story just a little better, so if anything we say here today isn’t quite how it really happened, it’s okay. Grandpa loved to embellish his stories and never told the same story twice.

Grandpa love to reminisce about the summers he spent at the Harriman’s ranch in Fowler. He had many aunts and uncles and it seems like countless cousins. He and his cousin, Clark Harriman were very close while growing up and that closeness continued as adults. Family relationships were very important to him, and he loved staying in touch with his relatives all through his life. A highlight for him in his later years was receiving the Davis family round robin letter in his mailbox.

He grew up in Pueblo and was active in the church during his youth. Grandma just told us the story about the day she fell in love with Grandpa. She was just 12 years old and he was 14 when they were at a church activity. He walked past her, and in typical 14 year old boy fashion, stepped on her shoelace so her shoe came untied. She was in love! They went together from that time on with the exception of her sophomore year in high school when they didn’t even speak to each other!

Grandpa enlisted in the Navy during World War II and was sent to Seattle, Washington. The war messed up his plans, as he had to leave his sweetheart, Leona, behind. But that was a temporary separation as she soon boarded a train in Pueblo that was filled with soldiers moving between assignments. With notarized letters from both mothers giving them permission to marry in her possession, Leona joined him in Seattle. They didn’t have to use her permission slip since they weren’t married until 3 days after her 18th birthday on November 17, 1943. However, since he was only 20, he was considered "underage" and had to prove his parents' permission. They lived together in Seattle until he was assigned to Adak in the Aleutian Islands and she returned to Pueblo.

After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Pueblo and enrolled in the junior college to get his education. He played football and basketball on the college team and Grandma often traveled with him on the team bus to out of town games.

They quickly started (and finished) their family when their four sons were born in 2 years and 8 months, Lou, Jr, Jim, and the twins Tom & Don.

He was called back into the service during the Korean War and left Grandma and the four little boys in the care of the parents while he served his country for a second time.

Grandpa completed his education in 1954, graduating from Colorado State College of Education at Greeley (now called UNC) with his Master’s Degree in Education Supervision and began his career as a principal in School District 60 in Pueblo where he worked for 33 years, retiring in 1983.

While his sons were young, Grandpa was very involved in Boy Scouts, and along with his brother Chuck, helped each of his four sons and Chuck’s two sons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Boy Scouts of America for his outstanding years of service.

He served in many capacities in the church including Bishop and Stake President. He gave many hours of church service and traveled thousands of miles around the Colorado Springs and Pueblo Stakes visiting the wards and branches. Grandma always went with him and they were both loved by the church members in those stakes.

After he retired, Grandpa and Grandma served their first mission as institute directors at Haskell Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. The Indian students there loved them as their own parents. Grandpa and Grandma taught institute classes, played countless games of ping-pong and pool, made popcorn, baked goodies, took the students to the store, and many other things during the three years they served. They also served a temple mission in the Swiss and Frankfurt temples.

Grandpa loved to travel and got great joy from hooking up his 5th wheel trailer and truck and heading out to visit the kids and grandkids. They took cruises to Alaska and the Panama Canal, long road trips to church history and temple sites, and car trips wherever they could.

Grandpa is survived by a large family and many friends who will miss him greatly.