Marlboro celebrates WWII veteran’s 100th
He lived through the Great Depression, was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star in World War II and turned 100 Friday.
And although he has no nearby family to speak of, the people of Marlboro and beyond honored Army Cpl. Arthur Butler for a life well lived.
Marlboro firefighters presented Butler with a custom helmet at New Horizons, the assisted living community where he lives.
“Our department likes to find feel-good stories in the community, and this is a pretty special case,” said Fire Lt. William Taylor, president of Local 1714 of the International Association of Firefighters. “He deserves a celebration on his 100th birthday.”
Later, firefighters, police and dozens of other people took part in a drive-by parade of well-wishers to celebrate his centennial.
“It’s quite a surprise,” Butler said. “I never expected it, but I’m glad.”
The parade was organized by Mark Vital, an Army veteran who read on Facebook that Butler fought in World War II at the Battle of Okinawa and received several decorations, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
“I read that he had no close family and was a decorated World War II veteran,” Vital said, “and I thought the least I could do to honor him was to organize a parade.”
Don Cox, founder of the Massachusetts and Cape Cod military support foundations and the USA Veterans and Military Support Foundation, asked members of all three to send birthday cards to Butler, and within two days, his request got 125,000 hits.
“I wanted to do something special on his birthday, and this is my gift to him,” Cox said. “His whole life, he gave to people, and to be able to do this will be one of the most rewarding things I ever do.”
By Thursday, Butler already had received hundreds of cards, with as many as thousands more the following day.
A Vineland, N.J., native, he grew up in Framingham and received his bachelor’s degree in business from Northeastern University, said Vartkes Hovsepian, community services director at New Horizons.
Butler managed the life insurance department at Waltham Savings Bank for many years, said Betsy Connolly, New Horizons’ executive director. He’s a big train buff who has traveled the country to see vintage steam engines, Hovsepian said. And although he has no wife or children, Connolly said, along the way, the community became his family.
“I’ve never had trouble making friends; the problem now is I’ve outlived a lot of them,” Butler said. “But I go day-by-day. Most of my life, I’ve kept busy, worked hard and had a positive attitude. I guess that’s the secret to my longevity.”