The son of Jeremiah Butler, an Irish-born cooper, Great-Grandfather's English mother, Laura Campbell Butler, died when he was just four-years-old.
By the time he was nine, young Joe was a cooper's apprentice. Largely self-taught, Joe became a constable of the court and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in the late 1890's. In 1905, he founded the Joseph A. Butler Funeral Home, which operated in KCK for 110 years, until his great-grandchildren retired on Dec. 31, 2014. In 1939, while visiting family in California, he suffered a fatal heart attack in San Francisco.
His striking shock of white hair earned him the nickname of "Cottontop." His white hair also came in handy when he played Santa Claus each year at local schools and churches. Forever fond of children, Great-Grandfather always had a pocket full of nickels he gave to area children for treats at near-by confectionaries and bakeries. His love of cigars got him into trouble with prohabitionist, Carry Nation, who knocked a cigar from his mouth.(He later handled her funeral.) He loved golf & could often be spotted on the golf course, wearing his plus-fours, even with snow still on the ground.
By the time he was nine, young Joe was a cooper's apprentice. Largely self-taught, Joe became a constable of the court and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in the late 1890's. In 1905, he founded the Joseph A. Butler Funeral Home, which operated in KCK for 110 years, until his great-grandchildren retired on Dec. 31, 2014. In 1939, while visiting family in California, he suffered a fatal heart attack in San Francisco.
His striking shock of white hair earned him the nickname of "Cottontop." His white hair also came in handy when he played Santa Claus each year at local schools and churches. Forever fond of children, Great-Grandfather always had a pocket full of nickels he gave to area children for treats at near-by confectionaries and bakeries. His love of cigars got him into trouble with prohabitionist, Carry Nation, who knocked a cigar from his mouth.(He later handled her funeral.) He loved golf & could often be spotted on the golf course, wearing his plus-fours, even with snow still on the ground.
The son of Jeremiah Butler, an Irish-born cooper, Great-Grandfather's English mother, Laura Campbell Butler, died when he was just four-years-old.
By the time he was nine, young Joe was a cooper's apprentice. Largely self-taught, Joe became a constable of the court and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in the late 1890's. In 1905, he founded the Joseph A. Butler Funeral Home, which operated in KCK for 110 years, until his great-grandchildren retired on Dec. 31, 2014. In 1939, while visiting family in California, he suffered a fatal heart attack in San Francisco.
His striking shock of white hair earned him the nickname of "Cottontop." His white hair also came in handy when he played Santa Claus each year at local schools and churches. Forever fond of children, Great-Grandfather always had a pocket full of nickels he gave to area children for treats at near-by confectionaries and bakeries. His love of cigars got him into trouble with prohabitionist, Carry Nation, who knocked a cigar from his mouth.(He later handled her funeral.) He loved golf & could often be spotted on the golf course, wearing his plus-fours, even with snow still on the ground.
By the time he was nine, young Joe was a cooper's apprentice. Largely self-taught, Joe became a constable of the court and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in the late 1890's. In 1905, he founded the Joseph A. Butler Funeral Home, which operated in KCK for 110 years, until his great-grandchildren retired on Dec. 31, 2014. In 1939, while visiting family in California, he suffered a fatal heart attack in San Francisco.
His striking shock of white hair earned him the nickname of "Cottontop." His white hair also came in handy when he played Santa Claus each year at local schools and churches. Forever fond of children, Great-Grandfather always had a pocket full of nickels he gave to area children for treats at near-by confectionaries and bakeries. His love of cigars got him into trouble with prohabitionist, Carry Nation, who knocked a cigar from his mouth.(He later handled her funeral.) He loved golf & could often be spotted on the golf course, wearing his plus-fours, even with snow still on the ground.
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