Grace Butler

Grace Botner Butler, born November 11, 1926, to Stanley L. Botner and Ada Wade Botner on the family farm in Boone County, Missouri, passed away after a full life surrounded by her family, the center of her world, on October 16, 2023. She is preceded in death by her husband Everett (‘Georgie’) Butler, both of her parents, her brother Stanley Botner and daughter-in-law Constance Butler.

William Shakespeare’s quote: ‘And though she be but little, she is fierce’ perfectly described Grace. Grace was small in stature but had a fierce love for her husband and her four sons, had a fierce determination to make a difference in the lives of women through the organizations she dedicated a large part of her life to.

Grace attended Wade School for the first eight years of her education; getting there by riding a pony with her brother Stanley. She graduated with honors from Hickman High School in 1945 and then attended the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, graduating in 1949. It was at Mizzou that she met the love of her life, Everett (Georgie) Butler, Jr. She and Georgie were married in August 1948 and moved to his home state of Pennsylvania where they started their family. Grace was a devoted wife, and a devoted mother to her sons. When her sons were old enough to be home alone after school, with her fierce passion for education, Grace continued her studies and earned a Master of Science in Education degree at St Bonaventure University in 1974.

Grace wore many titles throughout her life: wartime airplane factory worker, secretary, teacher, advertising manager for “Hounds & Hunting” magazine, Academic Advisor, farmer, but her most cherished titles were wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Grace’s greatest sorrow was the death of her beloved Georgie in 1975. She never remarried. After his passing, she returned to her hometown of Columbia, MO and worked for nearly 20 years as an academic advisor in the University of Missouri Dept. of Accountancy. Grace was passionate about helping her students which was recognized by her receiving the Administrator of the Year Award three times throughout her career. She was an active member of the Missouri Academic Advising Association and the National Academic Advising Association.

Grace was a born leader and used this talent to lead organizations supporting educational and political advancement of women. Her favorite group was the American Association of University Women, a member since 1954, serving as president on local, state, and national levels. She was also active in Altrusa, League of Women Voters, Omicron Delta Society at MU, and Broadway Christian Church in Columbia.

After retiring from the workforce at the age of 70, Grace built a lovely house on the farm near her birth place and took up raising black Angus cattle for several years with her sons. Her favorite memories are of picnics on the farm, Canadian fishing trips with her sons and grandchildren, and riding her John Deere Gator around the farm with her beloved Havanese dog, Bo Atticus.

Grace will live on in the hearts and memories of her sons and their wives: Ken (Colleen), Martin (Robbea), Doug (Cindy), and Kim (Brenda); and her grandchildren: Nicole (Mike) Heiss, Chase (Kelly) Butler, Matt (Ashley) Butler, Nathan Butler, Elizabeth Holst, Jacob, Ryan, and David Butler, Tiffany (Blake) and Kyle Butler; and great-grandchildren: Bailey, Avery, Riley, Cameron, Nora, Bryn, Owen, Eli and Emilia.

Services for Grace will be held at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70W, Columbia, Missouri 65202. Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Visitation from 11:00 AM to 12:00PM. Funeral service at 12:00 PM followed by a reception at 12:45 PM. Graveside service at Memorial Park Cemetery will immediately follow the reception.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to charitable organizations benefiting women and children.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com for the Butler family.