JAMES F. BUTLER, JR.
1926-2017
James F. (Jimmy) Butler, Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on November 11, 1926 to James F. and Anna Townsend Butler. At the age of 11 he was raising cows in the area now known as Forest Park Lawndale at the I-45. He attended Stephen F. Austin High School and graduated in 1943 at the age of 16. He then went to work at Ellington Field Airport servicing airplanes. In 1944 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and spent 2 years in California as an airplane mechanic. After WW II ended and he was discharged, he attended the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1950. After graduation he took a job at Sinclair Rubber, which later became Petro-Tex Chemical-Tenneco, and worked there for 35 years until his retirement.
On October 21, 1950 Jimmy married Dorothy Darilek, a high school girlfriend. They had one wonderful daughter, Shirley Ann, born in 1952. Traveling was one of their favorite pleasures and they covered most of the United States and the National Parks, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, the Czech Republic and Austria. Jimmy and Dorothy served on the Houston Square and Round Dance Council for over 12 years and were members of the International Choreographed Ballroom Dance Association (ICBDA formerly URDC). Jimmy also served in the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Our Lady of Mr. Carmel Catholic Church for 14 years. After moving to Sugar Land in 2002, he became a member of St. Laurence Parish where he participated in the Cancer Support Group.
He is survived by his loving wife Dorothy, daughter Shirley Ann Smith and husband Craig, granddaughter Colleen Marie Mayhew and husband Bryan, great-granddaughter Lauren Elizabeth Mayhew, step-brother Mike Butler and numerous cousins.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 13, 2017 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm with Rosary Service at 7:00 pm at Earthman Southwest Funeral Home in Stafford, Texas 77477
Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 10:00 am at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land. Graveside Service will follow at 1:00 pm at Shiner Catholic Cemetery in Shiner, Texas.