Betty Allen Butler

COLUMBIA - Betty Allen Butler, died on Saturday, December 10, 2016. She was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on August 22, 1928. Betty was the daughter of the late Lonnie Edward Allen and Pauline Doan Allen Crane. She attended St. Joseph Junior College, St. Joseph, Missouri; Maryville State Teachers College, Maryville, Missouri; and McConnell’s Airline and Modeling School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She worked for Delta Airlines in Atlanta, Georgia as a flight hostess, where she met her first husband, Jefferson Davis Hunt, father of her four daughters. She returned to college later in life and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A in English. Betty married James O. Butler, Jr. in June of 1969. Betty and Jim merged their two families, of four children each, to form one large family. After the children left home, they traveled extensively while they lived for several years in Taichung, Taiwan. Betty served as volunteer for Columbia Museum of Art, Providence Hospital, and Lexington Medical Center. She was proud to be a licensed realtor. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the Daughters of the Holy Cross, where she served many years on the altar guild. She was a member of the American Association of University Women and the International Women’s Club, Taipei and Taichung, Taiwan. Surviving are her daughters, Marion Hunt Thiret (Charlie), Elizabeth “Libby” Hunt, Paula Hunt Maky (George), and Mary Hunt Hall, all of the Columbia Metro Area; a sister, Mary Sherwood (Jess) of St. Joseph, Missouri; and her step children, James O. Butler, III (Nannette), Dr. Pierce D. Butler, Elizabeth “Libby” Boney (Dale) and Martha Garvin (Tommy). She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Laura Pauline Maky, Georgia Somers Maky Farmer (Eric), Neal Chavis, Troy Chavis (Paulina), Russell Hall (Heather) and Nicholas Hall; one great-granddaughter; and six step grandchildren. The family would like to thank her wonderful neighbors at Quail Hollow Village for all of their kindness and support as she lived her later years, alone in her home. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 6, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, S.C. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial to The Trinity Foundation, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.