Butler Parnell Crittenden III

January 28, 1940 – June 11, 2017

Butler P. Crittenden III was born in Durham, North Carolina and raised in Beaumont, Texas, the eldest of five children, with four younger sisters. He graduated from Beaumont High School (Class of 1958), attended the University of Texas at Austin (Class of 1962), and received a PhD in Sociology from Purdue University in 1969. Teaching soon became his passion and he accepted an appointment to the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago. There he taught for several years, before moving to San Francisco where he joined Bear Stearns as a stock broker. Eventually he returned fulltime to his primary interests – books and teaching. He died at the age of 77 after a cardiac arrest, with his daughter at his bedside.

Over the years, Butler amassed a personal library of over 7000 books and devoted his time to study and writing about many esoteric subjects including history, international conspiracy theories, evidence of alien life in the universe, and politics. He defined his world view, with amusement, as “left of Lenin.” In San Francisco, he also developed an early and enduring interest in the science of computers, and was an active, long-time member of the PC Users Club. He used his skills to help countless people in setting up and configuring computers in their homes and businesses.

Butler also had an enduring love of far-flung travel. As a young sociology professor, he spent a year studying the sociology of religion in Peru, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon. He once traveled the entire length of the unpaved Yukon Highway in a VW bug, and loved nothing better than to pile his family into a camper for parts unknown. His appreciation for road trips persisted throughout his life. He thought nothing of driving from San Francisco to Texas to Mexico, and crisscrossed the country many times, arranging extended visits with family and friends along the way.

Butler was a devoted friend to many. He was always ready for engaging conversations and willing to challenge conventional norms. While not as expressive of emotions as he was of his opinions, Butler had a strong devotion to his friends and family. He asked to be buried near his parents, Mary Benford Crittenden and Butler P. Crittenden Jr., who predeceased him, in his beloved Texas.

He is survived by two daughters, Dr. Daria Barrett Crittenden and Andrea Henselmann as well as five grandchildren: Eloise Crittenden, Phoebe Needle, Maxwell Henselmann, Graham Henselmann, and Parker Henselmann. He also leaves behind four sisters Celia Catrett-Crittenden, Mary Mayberry, Lisa Biser, Cathy Sutton, and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service in celebration of Bulter’s life is being planned for early next year.