Mary Butler

Mary Marie Butler, 92, passed away Friday, May 26, 2023 in Wichita Falls.  Graveside services will be held Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 1 p.m. in Pioneer Cemetery under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home.

She was the daughter of late Nona Sawyer and Bill Everett, Mary was born on March 25, 1931 in Durant, Oklahoma where she grew up with her seven brothers and sisters.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, 6 brothers and sisters, daughters Deborah Butler and Connie Thomas, and husband Claude Butler.

Survived by younger sister Betty McClain, daughter Rebecca Kirby, grandchildren Matt Sullivan, Holly Turner, Tyler Thomas, and Connor Kirby, and great grandchildren Charlee Sullivan, Mia Turner, Lucas Thomas, and Carter Turner.  

Mary met and married Claude Butler and was happily married for 65 years until Claude passed away in January of 2014. Mary and Claude had three daughters: Deborah, Connie, and Rebecca. Originally living in Graham while Claude engaged in oil rig work, they eventually decided to put down roots in Wichita Falls where they built a family home and went on to make a living farming and ranching successfully for many years.

While Mary held many jobs throughout her life, including her most recent career with the US Postal Service (retired in 2003), the work she treasured the most was raising her family and loving and caring for her children and grandchildren throughout their lives. She was the nucleus and the rock of our family, the glue that held us all together, the one we all came to for wisdom, help, advice, love. Her home was a safe place for all of us to land, a place we all loved and shared so much time together not only for holidays but all the days in between. She made it so. Some of the most special times and most treasured memories of our lives were spent out at the farm with "Gee." She was always "home" for us, no matter how far any of us roamed.  She loved bowling, roller skating, movies, riding bikes, and farming/ranching.

Sitting at the kitchen table drinking her sweet tea looking out over the farm and talking (about literally everything) is a simple memory that I will hold dear for the rest of my life. I would do anything to be able to sit there with her a talk just one more time. But I know I will get that chance again someday. For now I take comfort in knowing that she is finally where she has always wished to be, with her Father in Heaven. With her beloved husband and daughters that she lost too soon, and brothers and sisters that she has missed for so many years.

I don't know that I've ever met a more strong-willed, determined, hard-working person in my life. She is a true testament that no matter your circumstances, your history, your tragedies, you can persevere. There was nothing that ever could have stopped her from achieving what she set her mind to, whether it was at a job or just in life. Her faith was inspiring. Her belief that Jesus is always with us and waiting for us in Heaven has always given me hope and belief that there is something greater beyond this life, and that we are never alone in the tragedies we may face. That with faith, we can persevere. That with hard work, we can succeed. That with love and forgiveness, we can find joy.