Obituary of Bill Butler

Wilber T. "Bill" Butler, 81, of Spirit Lake, Iowa passed away Monday, January 12, 2009 at Hill Top Care Center in Spirit Lake. Memorials may be made in Bill's name to the First Presbyterian Church of Spirit Lake, Iowa. Wilber T. "Bill" Butler was born in Titonka, Iowa on October 8, 1927 to Effie and Henry Butler. The family soon moved to Estherville, Iowa where Bill attended Estherville, High School. At the age of 17 he talked his way into the Navy in 1944, where he served in the Pacific Theatre on the USN Guadeloupe. After the war, Bill returned to Estherville, where he finished high school and graduated from Estherville Junior College. He soon met Beverly Miller of Dolliver, Iowa and they married in 1951. Bill threw himself into several entrepreneurial ventures to support his growing family; Golden Sun Feeds, Kraft Music Store, Mokes Café and finally back to Golden Sun for the rest of his career. Bill and Bev had four children. In 1964 the family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where "WT" was plant manager of Golden Sun's new Sioux Falls plant. They lived in Sioux Falls for 24 years, until Bill retired and moved to Spirit Lake in 1987. Family came first to Bill. He was a fixture at his children's football games, track meets and recitals through junior high, high school and college. He also loved the outdoors, enjoying it with family and friends on fishing, hunting and camping trips across North America. Bill also devoted his energies to community, serving as elder and other positions at First Presbyterian Church of Sioux Falls, , the El Riad Shrine and it's Fife and Drum Corps, was a Fellow of Augustana College, member of Iowa Great Lakes Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow, a life member of VFW and was a Howard Wood Dakota Relay's Board Member. Bill is survived by his wife, Beverly; son, Richard (Elizabeth) of Princeton Junction, New Jersey; daughter, Anne (Steve) Hines of Elk City, Oklahoma; four siblings, Marjory (Monte) Kruse of Marble Falls, Texas, Henry (Karen) Butler of Emily, Minnesota, Dick (Pat) Butler of Vancouver, Washington and Ben (Kathy) Butler of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He is also survived by his daughters-in-law, Patsy (Steve) Butler Gratzfeld of Sioux Falls, SD and Lori Butler of Colorado Springs, Colorado, grandchildren, Casey Adams, Claire Butler, Brooks Butler, Brett Butler, Kelsey Butler and Chase Hines; other family and many friends. His parents, sister, Audrey, and his sons, Mack and Vance, preceded him in death.