Anne F. Butler

On Tuesday morning, August 4th, the Angels of Heaven opened its golden gates to admit Anne F. Butler (85), a servant of Jesus Christ, into the presence of God Almighty. Her last hours were spent in the company of her husband, son and daughters and their children.

Homegoing celebration will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, August 7th at Collier-Butler Chapel in Gadsden. Friends will be received from 11:00 AM until the time of service. Burial will be in the Garden of Valor at Rainbow Memorial Gardens. Pastors Sherri Reynolds, Billy York and Ric Connor will officiate.

From Riverview Regional Medical Center to St. Vincent’s and Grandview hospitals, plus stays at Encompass and Northside Health Care rehab units and twice back to RRMC, Anne battled a series of devasting infections for over a year that ultimately took her life.

Anne is a native of Anniston and 1952 graduate of Anniston High School. She developed an extraordinary vocal talent early in life that took her to Auburn University on a Voice scholarship. Marriage and births of three children interrupted her schooling. Later, while living in Talladega, she enrolled at Jacksonville State University to complete her college education, majoring in Voice and Elementary Education.

After moving to Gadsden, Anne taught Choral at West End High School for three years, then was moved to fourth grade teaching at Glencoe Elementary School. Later, she taught choral studies at Westminster Christian School which later became Westbrook Christian School.

Until age took her vocal cords, as a soloist, Anne was in demand for her brilliant soprano voice for church choirs, special events and weddings. She served three churches as their Choir Director. For almost all her adult life, Anne taught others – boys and girls, men and women -- of all ages, the joy of singing. Her students have many accomplishments of which two young women were chosen as “Miss Junior Miss,” two have been featured performers in Six Flags programs and several have become choir directors. One became a professional gospel singer and is featured on the popular Gaither Homecoming programs.

Beginning in the mid-1970s, for several years, Anne developed and directed the Sameah Youth Choir, composed, at times, of an many as 50 Christian teenagers, that travelled the state of Alabama with the Gospel in song and drama.

Along about this time, Anne took a strong interest in children – particularly, teens – who, for whatever the reason, had no home of their own and registered with the Department of Human Resources to become a foster parent. During the next 15 years, she and her family welcomed scores of youngsters into their home. Many were wards of the local courts, some came from the Sheriff’s Ranch and Talladega’s Presbyterian Children’s Home … which led to the addition of the fourth child to her family.

It was in that period of time that Anne became an adult counselor for “The Bridge,” an adult substance abuse treatment center in Gadsden. When that facility began accepting adolescents, she transferred to that unit as a certified teacher of all grades during their stay in the program. As a requirement, she was required to obtain a Master’s degree; she again enrolled at JSU, majoring in Education with a minor in Counseling.

Later, Anne was hired by the Mountain Lakes Behavioral Care program as a Geriatrics Counselor to work at Attalla Health Care Center with patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. This work became the all-time “work of her life” until she retired. Anne’s dedication to this work inspired the writing of “Where Has Grandma Gone,” a book aimed at helping children understand Alzheimer’s Disease. The book is available on Amazon.

Anne is survived by Harry D Butler, her husband of 64 years; her children Sydney Gunter (Randy), Debbie Pope (Charley), Laurie Mayben (Mike) and Mack Butler (Connie). She is the Grandmother of 13 and there are 18 Great-grands. She is also survived by James Conley, Kenneth Holman and Randy Snell (Jacquelyn) and their children.