Kathleen Butler

Kathleen (Kathy) Barker Butler, age 62 of Centerville Utah passed away on Thursday October 20, 2011 after a brief and unexpected illness. Kathy was born on August 2, 1949 in Los Angeles, California to William F. and Effie L. Barker. As a newborn, Kathy came home to a house full of three older brothers. Kathy was such an incredible contribution to her family that she remained the youngest child. She delighted her parents and continued the trend throughout her life, making her parents proud to have such a loving and caring daughter. Kathy was a social butterfly throughout her life, and these skills began when she was a child in Phoenix and greeted the elderly at the doors of the church each Sunday. Kathy adored her older brothers and told many hair-raising stories about the loving and fun ways in which they were raised. She never tired of telling stories about her brothers and how she had to keep the whitewalls of their tires washed and looking sharp, or how they would jump out and scare her when she took the garbage out. Kathy was raised in Southern California, and spent her teen years surrounded by the beaches, hot rods and Sunset strip. After high school graduation, Kathy attended Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) where she met the man of her dreams, John Butler. She often said that she received her MRS degree. Their courtship that took place, in part, through letters during Johns mission, and Kathy always said that is how they fell in love. The couple was sealed in the Los Angeles California Temple, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on May 15, 1970. She and John had a loving and happy marriage punctuated by laughter and a love of travel and camping. John and Kathy were the proud parents of three children, Bob, Dan and Sarah. Being a mother was Kathys proudest achievement, and in her eyes, her children never did anything wrong. Later, Kathy welcomed her childrens spouses into their family with open arms. For Kathy, that just meant there were more people to love. Becoming a grandma thrilled Kathy above all else, and her grandchildren were nearly perfect. Throughout her life she sat on the sidelines cheering on her children and grandchildren in anything they participated in from dance, soccer, football, gymnastics, and motorcycle races. Kathy was a lifelong lover of both children and animals. This was often evidenced when the doorbell rang at her home. Between the squeals of delight coming from her grandchildren, and the barking from her dogs and grand-dogs, it could take a few moments to finally be heard. Kathy is survived by her soul mate John, her children Bob (Melissa), Dan (Sherice), Sarah (Rich) Otteson and nine grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her grandson Cayden Robert Butler, her parents, and her brother Lee Barker. The viewing will be held Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 6:00-8:00PM at the Russon Brothers Funeral Home, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah 84010. The funeral will be at the Centerville Utah South Stake Center, 270 North 300 East, Centerville, Utah on Monday October, 24, 2011 at 11:00AM where a viewing will be held before services from 9:45-10:45am. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted in the name of Kathy Butler Memorial Fund at America First Credit Union.