Richie Jane Knudson Butler

Richie Jane Knudson was born to parents Glenn and Eulala Pederson Knudson on February 11, 1946, in Goose Creek (Baytown), Texas, and she was very proud of her Norwegian heritage. She passed away on December 7, 2023, after a courageous, two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Richie grew up in Baytown having attended both Ashbel Smith and James Bowie Elementaries, Cedar Bayou Junior High, where she was a cheerleader, and then on to Robert E. Lee High School. Richie was a three-year member of the Lee Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corps and the Junior Rotary Anns. She was also on the Student Council and a member of the Future Teachers of America.

After graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in 1964, she attended Lee College and then on to Lamar State College of Technology (now Lamar University) in Beaumont, Texas, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and a Golden Heart Girl of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. She graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.

After graduating from Lamar Tech, she traveled to be with her husband, Wiley Butler, who was in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. It was a joyful reunion as they had been married for only three days before Wiley had to report for active duty having been drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. After arriving at Ft. Knox, she got a job teaching second grade in a small town off post called Vine Grove.

After Wiley’s tour of duty was up, they moved back to Baytown, where she taught kindergarten in Highlands the first year Goose Creek began public kindergarten. After her children were born, Richie was a stay-at-home mom for about 18 years before reentering the teaching profession. She was hired to teach second grade at Lamar Elementary where she remained until her retirement in May 2007.

Prior to retiring with over 20 years of service that year, she received the honor of being named “Teacher of the Year” at Lamar.

In 2007, after living in Baytown for over sixty years she and Wiley moved into their retirement home on Trinity Bay in Beach City where she lived until her death.

She had a passion for teaching having been influenced by her mother who was an elementary school teacher who also retired from the Goose Creek School District. Teaching must have been in her genes in that her daughter Meredith is an elementary school teacher in Barbers Hill and Meredith’s daughter Courtney is an elementary school teacher in Coppell School district near Dallas. To top it off, Richie’s daughter-in-law Crystal is an elementary school teacher in Highlands. Lots of school teachers in this family. She dearly loved teaching the children and seeing them grow into productive citizens, which made her so happy.

While she didn’t start out as a “stellar” cook (according to Wiley), she honed her cooking skills and soon became an excellent cook. She loved and enjoyed cooking for all the family, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Family or friends, you never left her home hungry.

Richie also loved her “Gander Girls” and their annual 3-4 day get together. This close-knit group of high school girlfriends has stayed in touch with each other since graduating in 1964. (Tricia, Tanya, Diana, Sharon, Penny Sue, Melanie, Sandra, Jeannine, Pat, Sue Ann, Gayle, and Kay.) Your friendship brought her much joy and she loved you so much.

However, on December 23, 2021, she received a diagnosis of inoperable, pancreatic cancer. She started chemotherapy a week later and received it up until about two months prior to her passing.

Richie was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother (Mimi). A Christian lady who loved the Lord. She was kind, always smiling and happy.

She was a lifelong member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and a member of the Society of Helping Hands who always enjoyed serving others. Her favorite bible verse was the 23rd Psalm and she will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved her.

Richie was preceded in death by her parents Glenn and Eulala Knudson and her brother Osborne Knudson. She is survived by her husband of almost 57 years, Wiley Butler, daughter and son-in-law Meredith and Randy Durham, son and daughter-in-law, Joel and Crystal Butler, grandchildren, Courtney Durham, Caleb Durham, Evan Butler, and Ava Butler.

Richie wanted to give a special thanks to Dr. Naik and all the nurses and staff at the Neal Cancer Center at Baytown Methodist Hospital for their compassionate, wonderful care.

Pallbearers are all 1st Cousins: Brian Baker, Joe Baker, Tommy Clark, Randy Dahl, Doug Miller, Dennis Pederson.

Honorary Pallbearers are: Travis (Buddy) Smith, Michiel Bridges, Johnny (Pene) May, James Zucha,

Bill Wilkie, Duke Waldrup, Wayne Schilhab, Richard Schafer, Freddy Clark, Paul Pederson.

Visitation will be from 10 am to 11 am, Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1200 E Lobit Ave, Baytown, TX 77520. Funeral service will begin at 11 am. Committal service will follow at 2 pm, at Sterling-White Cemetery, 11011 Crosby Lynchburg Rd, Highlands, TX 77562.