William Abe Butler's Obituary
William Abe Butler went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 23, 2017 in Mount Pleasant, Texas at the age of 81.
William was born November 27, 1935, the youngest of Hubert and Bertha Elkins Butler in Woodville, Jackson County, Alabama. His father was a farmer and owned a sawmill. William had one brother, Nolan, and three sisters: Zora Butler Kennamer, Opal Butler Hammer, and Colleen Butler Woodall. William was preceded in death by both parents and all four siblings, as well as his precious furry companion, Abigail.
William graduated from Woodville High School in 1955. He married the love of his life, Jo Spears, in February 1958. He was employed for several years with Liberty National Life Insurance Company. In 1971 he changed careers and began working for Arch Coal Company, later becoming the Superintendant of Operations. William and Jo raised their children, Bill and Kaye, in Stevenson, AL for 22 years where he was an active member of the community and served in several civic organizations.
In 1980, William relocated his family to Mt. Pleasant to work for Texas Utilities Mining Company, where he was Superintendant of Operations, until he retired in 1992. In retirement, William worked as a salesman for Sisk Motors Inc. in Mt. Pleasant.
He was a member of the Bolivar Masonic Lodge in Stevenson, AL, the Temple Masonic Lodge in Mt. Pleasant, TX, the Chattanooga Scottish Rite, in Chattanooga, TN, and the Hella Shrine in Garland, TX.
William was very active in both the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Stevenson and the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant, serving for many years as elder and deacon in both.
William is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jo Spears Butler of Mt. Pleasant; son, William Troy (Bill) Butler and his wife, Jeri of Mount Vernon, TX; daughter, Kaye Butler Ratzlaff and her husband, Randal of White Oak, TX; granddaughter, Kaylee Butler Self and her husband, Aaron of Campbell, TX; grandson, William John-Christian Butler and his wife, Morgan of Mount Vernon, TX; granddaughter, Hannah Kate Ratzlaff and grandson, William Brenner Ratzlaff of White Oak, TX; numerous nieces, nephews, lots of lifelong friends, and his little dog, Suzy.
Visitation and Services will be held at Rudder Funeral Home in Scottsboro, AL on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 from 10-11am, with the service beginning at 11am. Burial will follow at the Union Cemetery in Woodville, AL with Masonic Rites.
The active pallbearers will be grandsons, Christian Butler and Brenner Ratzlaff; grandson-in-law, Aaron Self; great nephews, Byron Dooley, Pat Kennamer, Clay Kennamer, and Robert Scott Dooley.
The family has planned a Celebration of Life that will be announced at a later time and held at the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant, TX.
In lieu if flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Stevenson, or the First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Pleasant. The family wishes to thank all the caregivers at Greenhill Villas in Mt. Pleasant for their love and kindness shown to William.
Condolences may be made at www.rudderfuneralhomes.com.
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