Dorothy Lee Butler

Dorothy Lee Zowarka (Heacock) Butler was born on August 22, 1935 to Vivian Young Zowarka and Albert Morrison Zowarka in Kingsville, Texas. She was the only child of Albert, a butcher and Vivian, a ready to wear sales clerk. After school Dorothy would stop at Harrell’s Drug Store and sip lime cokes before heading home to take care of household duties while her parents worked. Dorothy attended school when there were only 11 grades. At some point the 12th grade was added and everyone got to skip a grade so she graduated high school at the young age of 16. Dorothy studied at Texas A & I. She signed up for the Miss A & I beauty competition and won. Padre Island also found her to be the most beautiful contestant. About then Dorothy met a preacher’s son, Jack Derry Heacock, who was also attending Texas A & I. On September 8, 1953, they were wed at First Methodist Church, Kingsville. Little did she know how much her life would change and the impact they would have on the lives of so many.

Jack (23) and Dorothy (18) loaded up and moved to Dallas for Jack to attend Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and earn a Master of Theology. Their first child, David Bruce was born in 1954. Then Jack’s first appointment took them to Poteet. Dorothy and Jack began to create a community of lifelong friends. After Poteet, they moved to San Antonio 1957-1962 where Jack served as conference youth director. Shari, Bill and Derryan were born there. After 4 years at conference the family of 6 was moved to Falfurrias in 1962. The parsonage was next door to the Methodist Church. Dorothy decided then and there to add her style to the furnished home by creating a mosaic coffee table with free and donated materials and paper mache candle sticks. With Dorothy’s knowledge of sewing, the home was spruced up with decorative pillows, drapes, bedding, etc.

Dorothy and Jack chaperoned 36 youth to Washington DC in 1964 to meet with senators and representatives and to have an audience with LBJ. The youth wanted more, and this was the beginning of European Travel Seminars. For the next 30 years or so they created tours of Europe, Ireland, China, Africa, Israel, Jerusalem, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Dorothy created a community of lifelong friends at every move.

The family moved to new appointments in Corpus Christi, back to San Antonio, returning to Corpus Christi and finally to Austin in 1973 growing the community of friends along the way. While Jack was District Superintendent for the San Antonio and Corpus Christi Districts, he traveled quite a bit, so Dorothy was everything to her family.

At First United Methodist Church, Austin, Dorothy jumped in with both feet leading and participating in organizing musical galas, Spring Flings and Christmas Bazaars.

Dorothy and Jack divorced, and she later married Kenneth Dale Butler. Besides the Church and their travel business, Dorothy worked as a receptionist, selling funeral pre arrangements, as a mortgage lending admin and finally a property manager for Stoney Creek in Lakeway. She loved managing Stoney Creek and especially creating a beautiful landscape for the residents.

She is preceded in death by Jack D. Heacock, Maj Kenneth Dale Butler, David Bruce Heacock (son) and David Bruce Heacock lll (grandson). She is survived by her children, Shari Heacock Sloane (Bart), William Albert Heacock (Donna) and Derryan Heacock MaGill (Monty), Ken Butler, Jr (Karen), Beth Chambers, Chet Butler, Kate Butler, Christy Craig Wilt (Larry).Grandchildren Jonathan Heacock (Meryl Bell Heacock), Terra James (Tyler James), Wesley MaGill, Sueyon Lee (Andrew Oh), Hattie Sloane, Blake Brown (Chris Brown), Ben Sloane, Kathryn MaGill, Jack Sloane, Avery Butler; great grandchildren, Sloane James, Sterlee James, Stella James, Logan Heacock, Hunter Heacock, Logan Oh, Stratton Brown, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to your favorite cause.