Richard W. Butler, Sr.

Richard W. Butler, of South Bend, passed away Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at Memorial Hospital in South Bend.  Richard (“Dick”) was born July 6, 1931 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Fred and Evelyn (Jones) Butler.  As a boy, he joined the Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1946.  He graduated from Indianapolis Tech High School in 1949, ranking 11th in a senior class of 803 students.   

Dick attended Purdue University where he was President of his freshman class.  He was elected to Tau Beta Phi, the civil engineering honor society, and he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.  He served in ROTC during his four years at Purdue.  He graduated in 1953 with a degree in civil engineering.        

He was united in marriage to Lois A. McIntyre on December 5, 1953 at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati.  After their marriage, Dick reported for active duty as a lieutenant in the Army, training at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.  He served overseas in Okinawa for 13 months, returning in May 1955. 

Dick then began work as a sales representative for American Blower in Cleveland, Ohio.  In 1959, American Blower transferred him to South Bend.  In 1964, he started his own business, Butler Engineering Sales, Inc., representing heating and cooling manufacturers as a sales representative.   While running his business, he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Michigan State University.  He retired from his business in 1996.  He was a member of the Rotary Club of South Bend and served as a Board member of BOMA Michiana (Building Owners & Managers Association).

Dick loved God and was a man of strong faith.  He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for 59 years.  He taught an adult Sunday School class at Grace for many years.

He loved his dear wife Lois.  They were married for 62 years until she passed away in February, 2016.  He was a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and he will be dearly missed by his entire family.

After God, his family, and his work, Dick’s passion was golf.  As a senior at Tech High School, he was the team’s number two golfer when Tech finished third in the State.  In 1949, he was the medalist in the Indiana District of the Junior Tournament, qualifying him as one of 128 golfers for the National Junior Tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he lost in the second round.  The golfers playing in the tournament included future professionals Gay Brewer, Ken Venturi, and Mason Rudolph.    He joined the South Bend Country Club in 1980 and was an active member for 38 years.  For many years, he played in the World Amateur Handicap Championship golf tournaments held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  In his later years, he shot a score less than his age on nine occasions, all on championship courses.

Dick was a man of gentle strength, integrity, and wisdom who was loved and admired by all who knew him.  

Surviving are his children:  Richard W. (Nancy) Butler Jr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kathleen (Chris) Ball of Imperial, California, and Nancy (Timothy) Garcia of Greenwood, Indiana; three grandchildren:  Andrew Butler of Melbourne, Australia, Allison (Austin) Ellsworth of Lansing, Michigan, and Zachary Garcia of Greenwood, Indiana; and one great-granddaughter, Margaret (“Maggie”) Ellsworth of Lansing, Michigan.  Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Lois, and his brother, Robert F. Butler.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at the Palmer Funeral Home – Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan Street, and one hour prior to services Thursday at the Church.  Services will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday, October 25, 2018 at Grace United Methodist Church, 3012 South Twyckenham Drive, South Bend, with Rev. David Schrader officiating.   Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be offered to the Grace United Methodist Church Paper Pantry.  Online condolences may be sent condolences may be sent to the family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com

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