Jimmy weathered complications with a stead fast grace. Even in Jr. High he had compsure while the rest of us looked like lanky teens. He was a kind person and forgiving, too. The only time he barked at me was when he was my soft ball coach and told me that I was only good in practices because I choked in games. He was correct. I wish I could have said good bye to him. May he rest in peace and may his family find solace in their memories of him. Peace.
Did ANY of us EVER see Jimmy without a smile on his face??? Never! God bless you, Jimmy - you touched a lot of people's hearts with your kind ways! Mine was one of them!
I remember a young man with a gentle and caring soul. He had a quick smile and easy going manner that endeared him to many of us. He endured tragedy at a young age (deaths of his parents) with grace and dignity. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children at this terrible time. His passing at such a young age should remind us all that life is precious and that we should try to make every day count. Thank you Jim for the past friendships and fond memories that you have bestowed n many of your classmates minds!
I knew our classmates that have since passed on, but not on the same personal level as I knew Jimmy. I guess that's why this hurts so much. So many memories....parties...camping...hanging out. We hadn't been in touch in recent years, but he will always occupy a place in my heart. He was always protective of his friends...always there to comfort and cheer us up. His quiet confidence was one of his best attributes and I will grieve his loss for some time to come.
Jim was definitely a guy who blazed his own trail. Too many memories to post ... suffice it to say he made all our lives more interesting. My thoughts are with him and his family.
In my high school days, my world was defined by a small but mighty group of friends... Jimmy Butler was my rock. I recall warm summer evenings, wandering the fields behind White Oak with Jimmy and the gang... jamming out to Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix...philosophizing all along the way. He had such a way about him...always cool in his bare feet and overalls...that sweet sly grin. We are defined by these moments in our youth and I owe a large part of who I am to the time I spent with Jimmy. It's hard to believe your gone my friend, rest in peace.
It's daunting posting my first tribute to a fallen comrade here, especially when there are others whom I knew as well as Jimmy. So please, consider this small note a tribute to all of our lost friends.
Reading through these comments, the two things that I'm taking away are, 1) Jimmy was always smiling, and that 2) everyone liked him. These match exactly with my experiences with Jimmy, even though I really didn't get to know him very well until after high school.
The Tug-Of-War in White Oak P.E. class which matched the "Jocks" vs. the "Freaks" - controversial because the formidable Tony Hall walked away from the Jocks, and faced them from the other side. It was a tussle, but the Freaks won, and when they fell over the center marker, Jimmy was the first to revel in the athletic victory, saying (and I'm certain you can hear him say this, in his semi-nasaly drawl), "Bite my ass, Jocks!"
Yet he meant it as nothing more than a teenage victory celebration, not as any sort of visceral hatred against his fellow man; that wasn't Jimmy: I was the principal's son at White Oak, and Jimmy was always nice to me (a standard my fellow jocks didn't always live up to). We walked to school together quite often, and I really, really liked him, even though I didn't know him all that well.
In 1985, Jimmy met a friend and I in North Carolina, and we all went for a horseback ride - a multi-hour horseback ride through woods, creeks, rocks, and trails. There were 5-10 of us on a guided tour, and I remember as the ride was winding down, Jimmy exclaimed, "Hey, Buddy!" (talking to the tour guide) - "This is one of the nicest rides I've ever been on!" That is my memory of Jimmy Butler - a kind, jovial man who could have done anything he wanted to do, but above all else, chose to be nice to people, to laugh, and to live.
I remember Jimmy as a laid back guy with a smile and laugh who never had an unkind word for anybody. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family.
Madge Flynn (Brower)
Jimmy weathered complications with a stead fast grace. Even in Jr. High he had compsure while the rest of us looked like lanky teens. He was a kind person and forgiving, too. The only time he barked at me was when he was my soft ball coach and told me that I was only good in practices because I choked in games. He was correct. I wish I could have said good bye to him. May he rest in peace and may his family find solace in their memories of him. Peace.
Marla Fishman (Lusby)
I will always remember Jimmy's confident swagger and sly smile- his passing so young is tragic. My thoughts go out to his family.
Patricia Townsend (Baker)
Did ANY of us EVER see Jimmy without a smile on his face??? Never! God bless you, Jimmy - you touched a lot of people's hearts with your kind ways! Mine was one of them!
Christina (Chris) Dangler
I remember a young man with a gentle and caring soul. He had a quick smile and easy going manner that endeared him to many of us. He endured tragedy at a young age (deaths of his parents) with grace and dignity. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children at this terrible time. His passing at such a young age should remind us all that life is precious and that we should try to make every day count. Thank you Jim for the past friendships and fond memories that you have bestowed n many of your classmates minds!
Valerie (Pucillo) Pucillo (Stratton)
I knew our classmates that have since passed on, but not on the same personal level as I knew Jimmy. I guess that's why this hurts so much. So many memories....parties...camping...hanging out. We hadn't been in touch in recent years, but he will always occupy a place in my heart. He was always protective of his friends...always there to comfort and cheer us up. His quiet confidence was one of his best attributes and I will grieve his loss for some time to come.
John Lavery
RIP * Jimmy, you were an awsome guy
John Lavery
Steve Soloway (Soloway)
Jim was definitely a guy who blazed his own trail. Too many memories to post ... suffice it to say he made all our lives more interesting. My thoughts are with him and his family.
Sue McGarvey (McGarvey)
In my high school days, my world was defined by a small but mighty group of friends... Jimmy Butler was my rock. I recall warm summer evenings, wandering the fields behind White Oak with Jimmy and the gang... jamming out to Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix...philosophizing all along the way. He had such a way about him...always cool in his bare feet and overalls...that sweet sly grin. We are defined by these moments in our youth and I owe a large part of who I am to the time I spent with Jimmy. It's hard to believe your gone my friend, rest in peace.
Don Rockwell
It's daunting posting my first tribute to a fallen comrade here, especially when there are others whom I knew as well as Jimmy. So please, consider this small note a tribute to all of our lost friends.
Reading through these comments, the two things that I'm taking away are, 1) Jimmy was always smiling, and that 2) everyone liked him. These match exactly with my experiences with Jimmy, even though I really didn't get to know him very well until after high school.
The Tug-Of-War in White Oak P.E. class which matched the "Jocks" vs. the "Freaks" - controversial because the formidable Tony Hall walked away from the Jocks, and faced them from the other side. It was a tussle, but the Freaks won, and when they fell over the center marker, Jimmy was the first to revel in the athletic victory, saying (and I'm certain you can hear him say this, in his semi-nasaly drawl), "Bite my ass, Jocks!"
Yet he meant it as nothing more than a teenage victory celebration, not as any sort of visceral hatred against his fellow man; that wasn't Jimmy: I was the principal's son at White Oak, and Jimmy was always nice to me (a standard my fellow jocks didn't always live up to). We walked to school together quite often, and I really, really liked him, even though I didn't know him all that well.
In 1985, Jimmy met a friend and I in North Carolina, and we all went for a horseback ride - a multi-hour horseback ride through woods, creeks, rocks, and trails. There were 5-10 of us on a guided tour, and I remember as the ride was winding down, Jimmy exclaimed, "Hey, Buddy!" (talking to the tour guide) - "This is one of the nicest rides I've ever been on!" That is my memory of Jimmy Butler - a kind, jovial man who could have done anything he wanted to do, but above all else, chose to be nice to people, to laugh, and to live.
Andrew Hyams (Hyams)
I remember Jimmy as a laid back guy with a smile and laugh who never had an unkind word for anybody. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family.