Commander John Rich Butler

He was born January 27, 1929, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Richard and Lucile Butler.

He retired from the Coast Guard as a commander after more than 23 years of service in the Navy and Coast Guard. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. After commissioning in the Coast Guard he served briefly at the Base, Mobile, Alabama, then aboard the Coast Guard Buoy Tender Blackthorn. After receiving the Wings of Gold from the Pensacola Naval Flight Training in 1957, he served at five Coast Guard Air Stations and Detachments at Port Angeles, Washington, Sangley Point in the Philippine Islands, Biloxi Mississippi, Salem Massachusetts, and Annette Island Alaska. At that last duty involving active flying, he also served as the Executive Officer, and briefly as the Commanding Officer.

As a Search and Rescue pilot, he flew 431 Search and Rescue missions in amphibious helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. He was awarded the Air Medal for the attempted night helicopter rescue of passengers of a commercial airliner that had crashed on a New Hampshire mountain. In his last tour of duty, prior to retirement, he served as the Director of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for all or portions of eight southern states.

After military retirement, he settled in rural Harrison where he started a business preparing professional resumes. He also continued his longtime practice of freelance writing, with over a hundred articles, stories and essays published. He also wrote two books, one published and one serialized in a magazine.

He moved to Rogers in 1993 and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church where he served as a Stephen Minister. He had previously been active in Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Blue Eye Missouri, and Harrison Arkansas. He enjoyed working as a hospice volunteer for the Washington Regional Medical Center for 16 years.

He enjoyed sailing, canoeing, camping and travel, and was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. He promoted blood donations throughout his military career, headed the local blood donation organization in Boone County when living there, and had donated over eleven gallons of blood, stopping only when health problems prohibited further donations. He was also an avid supporter of organ donation.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one uncle, and one grandson-in-law.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Lu Crosier Butler of the home, to whom he was married April 18, 1947, in Corpus Christi Texas; two daughters, Anitra Lynn Bickerton and husband Matt of Newton County, and Sharon Kay Roberts and husband Don of Berryville AR; one brother, Charles William Butler and wife Rosemary Coral Gables, FI; four granddaughters; one grandson; two grandsons in-law; eight great grand children and one great great grandchild.

Funeral services will be 10am Monday September 13, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Rogers with the Reverend Sandy Wanacek officiating.

Burial, with full military honors, will be at Noon immediately following the service at National Cemetery in Fayetteville.

Memorials may be made to Washington Regional Hospice, 34 W Colt Square, STE 1, Fayetteville, AR 72703.

Arrangements made under the direction of Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers.