Brother’s justice quest for Lucille finally ends

LOVING memories have been shared of the life of Jim Butterworth, who passed away having spent the past 50 years fighting for answers to his sister’s disappearance.

Jim Butterworth, brother of Lucille Butterworth who was last seen at a Hobart bus stop in 1969, passed away at home on Thursday with family by his side. He was 82.

Mr Butterworth, a keen boat enthusiast and owner of well-known Hobart yacht Preana, fought until the end for answers to his sister’s disappearance.

In 2016 a coronial inquest concluded Ms Butterworth was murdered by key suspect Geoffrey Charles Hunt, but that there was not enough evidence to launch a criminal prosecution after five decades.

In a tribute published in the Mercury today Mr Butterworth’s daughter Kassie-Lee McDiarmid said her dad, who had battled cancer for several months, “always did it his way right until the end”.

“My King, my Father, my rock, what an honour and privilege to have had you as my father,” she said. “You held me as I entered this world and I held you as you left me.

“Always inseparable and truly loved and adored, there is no one in the world that can measure up to my mighty King.

“You faced this battle with determination, you never complained about what you were facing, only that you had to leave us behind. I will forever and always love and cherish you like no other.”

Ms McDiarmid said her father “was still speaking of Lucille right until the end”.

“They will be dancing together in heaven now,” she said.

“He never gave up the fight for Lucille. My mum Sue and I will continue the battle for answers for Dad from now on.”

A qualified engineer, Jim was also a restaurant and hotel owner and was involved in introducing soft-serve machines to local McDonald’s outlets.

David Plumpton was the lead investigator in the 2011 reopening of Lucille’s case and developed a close friendship with Mr Butterworth.

Mr Plumpton said his friend had been “driven by the memory of Lucille”.

“Everything he did in assisting police was based on Lucille, never himself, and never anyone else,” Mr Plumpton said.

“He was a man’s man who had the heart of gold. His loyalty to family was second to nothing. His family always came first and foremost.

“Jim and I first met in a professional setting, but in the course of that we formed a friendship that became lasting.

“Even though Lucille disappeared 50 years ago, you could see in Jim’s eyes that he felt that it was only yesterday.

“He wanted people to remember her as the vibrant, loving person she was and that’s how I’ll remember Jim.”