Lucille P. Butler

LUCILLE P. BUTLER, 89, died at Mountain View Hospital Saturday morning February 4, her children and eldest granddaughter were in attendance. She was born October 7, 1916 in the no-longer-existent Eastern New Mexico town of Red Lake, the first child of Lester and Cleda Prater. Mrs. Butler grew up in Wink, Texas (she was the oldest graduate present at the Wink Wildcats' 75th school reunion in 2003), and attended the University of Texas in Austin, attaining her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1937. She married childhood friend, the love of her life, Lewell Butler on December 22, 1938. The couple lived and worked throughout South and West Texas before moving to and settling in Las Cruces in 1950. They owned and operated several businesses in town, including the Alameda Laundry and Cleaners from 1960 until their retirement in 1975. She was actively involved in all aspects of the businesses, as she was in her four children's lives and activities, from sports to school to scouting. The Butlers traveled extensively, taking their Air Stream trailer and fishing rods throughout the US. and even jetting to Europe to visit their youngest daughter and her family living in Berlin. She realized a lifelong dream in 1999 when she and her niece Priscilla Baker went to South America and toured Machu Picchu. An avid sports fan, Mrs. Butler enjoyed attending her grandsons' Las Cruces High School basketball games-both to cheer them on and offer suggestions for points of improvement. She followed both professional and college basketball and the pro tennis circuit. Mrs. Butler was an excellent bridge player involved in both a Friday Afternoon Bridge Club and a group of Mesilla Park Heritage Condo players. Her busy social life included the Condo Association and membership in a monthly Second Tuesday Book Club. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers F.D. Prater and Troy Prater. She is survived by her children, David L. Butler, and his companion Zona Tooke, of Denver, Colorado; John Butler of Houston, Texas; Cleda Hawman and her husband Jim of Fairacres; and Betty Butz and her husband Richard, of Choctaw, Oklahoma. Remembering her with great love and respect are also six grandchildren: Dana Butler and her mother, Francine Butler; Steven Hawman and his wife, DeeDee; Justin Hawman, Jessica Butz, PV2 Jered Lewell Butz, and Cleda Ruthanne "Rufus" Butz. She has one great-granddaughter, Analiece Hawman, who called her G. G. The family would also like to thank Mrs. Butler's nieces and nephews and the rest of the extended family for their love and support. A visitation will be held Tuesday, February 7, from 5 to 7 pm at Getz Funeral Home. Services will be held at Getz at 1 pm on Wednesday, February 8, with interment to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Loyd Cain and Richard Butz. Serving, as pallbearers will be Rudy Prater, Troy Lewell Prater, Kenneth Prater, David Smith, Lewis Richardson, and Marvin Henry. Honorary pallbearers will be Kenneth Vinson, Ted Hoy, Harold Connell, Dan Lowry, Jim Meadows, and Anton Salopek. She said recently that she really liked flowers, "but not too many." So those inclined