Harry Butera, 94, of Jeffersonville, an Italian immigrant who became a Horatio Alger story as a business and civic leader in Norristown, died Saturday at Meadowood, a nursing home in Worcester Township.
Mr. Butera was born on a farm in Sciacca, Sicily, and came with his family to Norristown in 1906. He dropped out of school at age 12 and went to work in the knitting mills.
After work, he joined his brothers in the barbering business, standing on a crate to reach customers' hair. In 1920, he and his brother Frank operated two barber shops they called Modern Tonsorial Parlors.
But Mr. Butera, who was once described by Tom Fox in The Inquirer as "a modern Horatio Alger," and "the American dream come true," returned to the classroom at Peirce Junior College, where he learned English grammar, accounting and other business skills.
In 1922, he quit the mills, gave up cutting hair and went to work selling real estate. Two years later, he opened his own office, Harry Butera Inc. He retired in 1984, after 62 years as one of the leading dealers in commercial property in Norristown.
His was a remarkable career, said his son, Robert J. Butera. "That he epitomizes the American dream is obvious when you read all he accomplished and all that he gave back."
As a measure of how far he had come since arriving in America, his son noted that Mr. Butera could barely speak English when Norristown celebrated its 100th birthday in 1912. When the borough observed its 150th anniversary in 1962, he was grand marshal of the parade - as the town's leading citizen. "He fixed lofty goals and achieved all of them, except one. He wanted to live to be 100," his son said.
Mr. Butera was active in many business and civic associations. He was a member and former president of the Norristown Board of Realtors and the Central Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. He was a former board member of Continental Bank and of Progress Bank.
He was a board member at Sacred Heart Hospital in Norristown for more than 40 years and president for 15. He was a former president of the Central Montgomery County Mental Health Retardation Center, a former board member of the Pathway School and a founder and former board member of the Child Development Center in Jeffersonville.
He was a past chairman of Central Montgomery County United Way and former president of the Norristown Playground Association. He served on the board of Associated Charities of Norristown and led fund-raising drives for George Washington Carver Recreational Center and Holy Savior Roman Catholic Church. He was a member and former president of the American Business Club, and a member of the Norristown LAM Lodge 306 and the MSS Club, both Italian American organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Constable Butera; sons, Kenneth, Robert, Richard, John and Raymond; daughters, Doris Bonner, Marjorie McDonald and Barbara Ferriter; 25 grandchildren, and nine great- grandchildren.
Mr. Butera was born on a farm in Sciacca, Sicily, and came with his family to Norristown in 1906. He dropped out of school at age 12 and went to work in the knitting mills.
After work, he joined his brothers in the barbering business, standing on a crate to reach customers' hair. In 1920, he and his brother Frank operated two barber shops they called Modern Tonsorial Parlors.
But Mr. Butera, who was once described by Tom Fox in The Inquirer as "a modern Horatio Alger," and "the American dream come true," returned to the classroom at Peirce Junior College, where he learned English grammar, accounting and other business skills.
In 1922, he quit the mills, gave up cutting hair and went to work selling real estate. Two years later, he opened his own office, Harry Butera Inc. He retired in 1984, after 62 years as one of the leading dealers in commercial property in Norristown.
His was a remarkable career, said his son, Robert J. Butera. "That he epitomizes the American dream is obvious when you read all he accomplished and all that he gave back."
As a measure of how far he had come since arriving in America, his son noted that Mr. Butera could barely speak English when Norristown celebrated its 100th birthday in 1912. When the borough observed its 150th anniversary in 1962, he was grand marshal of the parade - as the town's leading citizen. "He fixed lofty goals and achieved all of them, except one. He wanted to live to be 100," his son said.
Mr. Butera was active in many business and civic associations. He was a member and former president of the Norristown Board of Realtors and the Central Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. He was a former board member of Continental Bank and of Progress Bank.
He was a board member at Sacred Heart Hospital in Norristown for more than 40 years and president for 15. He was a former president of the Central Montgomery County Mental Health Retardation Center, a former board member of the Pathway School and a founder and former board member of the Child Development Center in Jeffersonville.
He was a past chairman of Central Montgomery County United Way and former president of the Norristown Playground Association. He served on the board of Associated Charities of Norristown and led fund-raising drives for George Washington Carver Recreational Center and Holy Savior Roman Catholic Church. He was a member and former president of the American Business Club, and a member of the Norristown LAM Lodge 306 and the MSS Club, both Italian American organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Constable Butera; sons, Kenneth, Robert, Richard, John and Raymond; daughters, Doris Bonner, Marjorie McDonald and Barbara Ferriter; 25 grandchildren, and nine great- grandchildren.
Harry Butera, 94, of Jeffersonville, an Italian immigrant who became a Horatio Alger story as a business and civic leader in Norristown, died Saturday at Meadowood, a nursing home in Worcester Township.
Mr. Butera was born on a farm in Sciacca, Sicily, and came with his family to Norristown in 1906. He dropped out of school at age 12 and went to work in the knitting mills.
After work, he joined his brothers in the barbering business, standing on a crate to reach customers' hair. In 1920, he and his brother Frank operated two barber shops they called Modern Tonsorial Parlors.
But Mr. Butera, who was once described by Tom Fox in The Inquirer as "a modern Horatio Alger," and "the American dream come true," returned to the classroom at Peirce Junior College, where he learned English grammar, accounting and other business skills.
In 1922, he quit the mills, gave up cutting hair and went to work selling real estate. Two years later, he opened his own office, Harry Butera Inc. He retired in 1984, after 62 years as one of the leading dealers in commercial property in Norristown.
His was a remarkable career, said his son, Robert J. Butera. "That he epitomizes the American dream is obvious when you read all he accomplished and all that he gave back."
As a measure of how far he had come since arriving in America, his son noted that Mr. Butera could barely speak English when Norristown celebrated its 100th birthday in 1912. When the borough observed its 150th anniversary in 1962, he was grand marshal of the parade - as the town's leading citizen. "He fixed lofty goals and achieved all of them, except one. He wanted to live to be 100," his son said.
Mr. Butera was active in many business and civic associations. He was a member and former president of the Norristown Board of Realtors and the Central Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. He was a former board member of Continental Bank and of Progress Bank.
He was a board member at Sacred Heart Hospital in Norristown for more than 40 years and president for 15. He was a former president of the Central Montgomery County Mental Health Retardation Center, a former board member of the Pathway School and a founder and former board member of the Child Development Center in Jeffersonville.
He was a past chairman of Central Montgomery County United Way and former president of the Norristown Playground Association. He served on the board of Associated Charities of Norristown and led fund-raising drives for George Washington Carver Recreational Center and Holy Savior Roman Catholic Church. He was a member and former president of the American Business Club, and a member of the Norristown LAM Lodge 306 and the MSS Club, both Italian American organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Constable Butera; sons, Kenneth, Robert, Richard, John and Raymond; daughters, Doris Bonner, Marjorie McDonald and Barbara Ferriter; 25 grandchildren, and nine great- grandchildren.
Mr. Butera was born on a farm in Sciacca, Sicily, and came with his family to Norristown in 1906. He dropped out of school at age 12 and went to work in the knitting mills.
After work, he joined his brothers in the barbering business, standing on a crate to reach customers' hair. In 1920, he and his brother Frank operated two barber shops they called Modern Tonsorial Parlors.
But Mr. Butera, who was once described by Tom Fox in The Inquirer as "a modern Horatio Alger," and "the American dream come true," returned to the classroom at Peirce Junior College, where he learned English grammar, accounting and other business skills.
In 1922, he quit the mills, gave up cutting hair and went to work selling real estate. Two years later, he opened his own office, Harry Butera Inc. He retired in 1984, after 62 years as one of the leading dealers in commercial property in Norristown.
His was a remarkable career, said his son, Robert J. Butera. "That he epitomizes the American dream is obvious when you read all he accomplished and all that he gave back."
As a measure of how far he had come since arriving in America, his son noted that Mr. Butera could barely speak English when Norristown celebrated its 100th birthday in 1912. When the borough observed its 150th anniversary in 1962, he was grand marshal of the parade - as the town's leading citizen. "He fixed lofty goals and achieved all of them, except one. He wanted to live to be 100," his son said.
Mr. Butera was active in many business and civic associations. He was a member and former president of the Norristown Board of Realtors and the Central Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. He was a former board member of Continental Bank and of Progress Bank.
He was a board member at Sacred Heart Hospital in Norristown for more than 40 years and president for 15. He was a former president of the Central Montgomery County Mental Health Retardation Center, a former board member of the Pathway School and a founder and former board member of the Child Development Center in Jeffersonville.
He was a past chairman of Central Montgomery County United Way and former president of the Norristown Playground Association. He served on the board of Associated Charities of Norristown and led fund-raising drives for George Washington Carver Recreational Center and Holy Savior Roman Catholic Church. He was a member and former president of the American Business Club, and a member of the Norristown LAM Lodge 306 and the MSS Club, both Italian American organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Constable Butera; sons, Kenneth, Robert, Richard, John and Raymond; daughters, Doris Bonner, Marjorie McDonald and Barbara Ferriter; 25 grandchildren, and nine great- grandchildren.
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