Ruth Pauline Butler

Ruth Pauline Powell was born in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, Canada on September 24, 1920 to parents Ladye (Cole) Powell and George Hillas Powell. She had an older brother, Hillas Cole Powell, who preceded her in death in 2012 and a baby sister, Beverly Joan Powell, who died at birth. Her husband, Ellsworth Damon “Al” Butler, and her oldest child, Judith Ann Butler, preceded her in death in 2015 and 1984, respectively. She is survived by her two younger children, Mark Damon Butler and Chance Twain Butler; their spouses, Diane Wainwright Butler and Joelle Tori Maslak; and her granddaughter, Alethea Rose Butler.

Ruth grew up on a wheat farm in Saskatchewan near the small farming town of Rouleau. She grew up in a time when much of the heavy farm work was still being done with teams of horses. She and her brother traveled from their farm to a one-room schoolhouse via horse-drawn buggy in the warmer months and horse-drawn sleigh in the winter. There was much work to be done on the farm -- even by the children. Life there was not easy, but it was a great place to grow up. Witnessing firsthand the deep and sustaining reliance on one another that was required to cope with the demanding conditions shaped her soul. It was through interactions with her family and with the neighbors on the surrounding farms and in the town that she developed her unshakable faith in God, deep love of family and friends, desire to serve others, ability to graciously weather adversity, strong work ethic, incredible patience, delightful sense of humor, clear-eyed practicality, and abounding common sense. These traits became deeply rooted in her soul, and she would carry them with her throughout her life.

After finishing her high school studies, Ruth wanted to become a nurse. So, in 1939 she entered the Nurses Training program at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan. She graduated from that program in 1942 as a Registered Nurse. She was proud of her training at the Regina Grey Nuns Hospital, and when others would ask her what the “R.G.N.H.” on her nursing pin stood for, she would say with a smile, “Real Good Nurse Here.” And indeed, that was the case! Wherever Ruth nursed, she was recognized for the excellent, compassionate care she provided. She and her classmates formed tight bonds during their years of training together, and Ruth maintained contact with them and remained active in their alumnae association throughout the years.

Ruth’s first job after graduation was at the Blair Memorial Cancer Clinic in Regina where she served as head nurse for several years. This was a tremendous start for her nursing career.

This was also the era of early commercial aviation when one had to be an R.N. to work as a stewardess. TransCanada Airlines (TCA) was recruiting R.N.s for stewardess positions, and Ruth decided to try her hand at this. She was chosen by TCA as the representative from Saskatchewan the year she applied. She completed TCA’s training program and began working as a stewardess. However, airline life did not agree with her, particularly the motion sickness she had to endure, and by 1945 she decided to leave it behind and return to full-time nursing.

After leaving the airlines, Ruth decided a move from Canada to the United States was in order so she could pursue additional nursing opportunities there. She first gained employment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN as an R.N. working for Mayo’s Thoracic and Neurosurgery Department. There she nursed many patients through some of most complicated surgeries of that era. Along the way, she became a naturalized American citizen and kept her eyes open for other nursing opportunities within the U.S.

Ruth found her next nursing position as head nurse on Surgery at University Hospital in Iowa City, IA. While working at University Hospital, Ruth met and fell in love with a University of Iowa dental student, Ellsworth Damon “Al” Butler. During their courtship, Ruth left University Hospital and began working as an R.N. for the V.A., where she helped open the new V.A. Hospital in Iowa City in 1951. She continued working at that V.A. Hospital as head nurse of the Surgical Unit and Recovery Room until she and Al were married on July 12, 1952 after his graduation from the College of Dentistry.

Al joined the V.A. Dental Service shortly after graduation and with Ruth already employed as a V.A. nurse, they embarked on a journey with the V.A. that would see them assigned to V.A. Hospitals in five different states over the next 25 years. Their first joint assignment was to the V.A. Hospital in Poplar Bluff, MO in 1952. As Al’s career progressed within the V.A., they were reassigned to V.A. Hospitals in Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Augusta, GA; Poplar Bluff, MO (again); and finally, to Denver, CO, in 1965.

With her marriage to Al, Ruth’s priorities shifted from her nursing career to her new family. While she continued to nurse at some of the V.A. and university hospitals in the various cities where they were reassigned, her focus was always on building a loving and nurturing home for her husband and their three children, Judy, Mark and Chance. Wherever they were located, she created a nurturing and uplifting environment that was deeply rooted in her Christian faith and early family life experiences. Everyone felt welcome in her home and at her table. Her joyful spirit and contagious sense of humor brought laughter and a sense of lightness to all those around her. Her compassion and willingness to help anyone in need made her truly one of God’s angels of mercy on this earth.

Once the family settled in Denver, Al served as Chief of the Dental Service at the V.A. Hospital, and Professor of Oral Surgery and Assistant Dean of Dental Research at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry. Ruth found a satisfying nursing position in the Arthritis Clinic at the University of Colorado where she brought her special touch to the nursing care of countless patients with this crippling disease. Ruth and Al served in these positions until 1977, when they both retired.

They remained in their Denver home during the first years of their retirement and then moved to Castle Rock, CO in 1989. They enjoyed their life in retirement together. During this time Ruth was quite active in volunteer and church activities. She was an astute bridge player and loved to play bridge with her friends. When she occasionally played with extremely competitive players, some would ask, “What kind of formal strategy do you follow?” She would simply respond, “I just play the cards I am dealt.” Then she would often go on to win those matches! That was how she approached so many things in life—relying on her quick mind and immense reservoir of common sense to solve life’s problems. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed cooking -- especially baking -- for her family and friends. They enjoyed it, too! She was still baking cookies, pies and cakes until a few years before her death. She was an avid knitter as well, and knitted many beautiful things for family and friends, most memorably some wonderful sweaters and hats for her granddaughter. She knitted into her nineties when the arthritis in her hands forced her to stop.

In 2008, Ruth and Al moved into the Wind Crest Retirement Community in Highlands Ranch, CO. They were living there when Al passed away in 2015. Ruth continued living at Wind Crest until she passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 21, 2019. She was 98 years old. She had to endure several serious illnesses in the last few months of her life, and she did so with courage and grace. One of Ruth’s most endearing qualities was her infectious smile and good cheer. She was still smiling and making her many visitors -- family, friends, nurses, care providers – smile and laugh until her very last day. Her two younger children, Mark and Chance, their spouses, her granddaughter, and many of her close friends and relatives were able to be with her in her final days.

Ruth was a member of the United Church of Canada, the First Baptist Church in Castle Rock and Castle Pines Community Church. She remained active with the Regina Grey Nuns Nurses Alumnae until close to her death.

A memorial service to celebrate Ruth’s life will be held at 2:30 PM on Friday, February 1, 2019, at the Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary, 6601 South Colorado Boulevard, Centennial, CO, followed by a reception at the facility. At a later date, her remains will be buried at the gravesite of her husband, Al, who was buried in Fort Logan National Cemetery in 2015.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to: Arthritis National Research Foundation, 5354 East 2nd Street, Suite 201, Long Beach, CA 90803; phone: (800) 588-2873; website: https://curearthritis.org; Tax ID #95-6043953