Former long-time Chadron resident, Donna J. Butler of Lincoln, passed away Friday, April 11, at Bryan LGH Hospital in Lincoln. Her loving husband, sons, and other close family members were at her side.
Born in Gordon on January 17, 1924, to R.B. and Gladys (Beckwith) Sailor, Donna was the youngest of four children.
After graduating from Gordon High School as Valedictorian, she moved to Chadron with a girlfriend to work as the office manager at the livestock auction. It was in Chadron that Donna met the man who was to be the love of her life for over 62 years, Jim Butler.
Her family and friends remember her as the essence of a loving, caring, giving, family-centered person. She brought much joy to others, and was blessed with many joys herself. Those joys almost all revolved around loving, and being loved by, her family – her husband, her sisters, her sons and their spouses, her 14 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
And Donna loved music, too – playing it, teaching it, and listening to it. She taught herself to play the piano at the age of four – and later the organ. By her estimate, she gave private piano and organ lessons to 272 children in the Chadron area. Donna played in dance bands as a high school student and well into adulthood. She was the organist at Chadron's United Methodist Church for many years. She continued to play at occasional events past her eightieth birthday.
Donna took great pride and joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren, whether professional, academic, athletic, or artistic – but maybe most especially in their musical accomplishments.
After making her home in Chadron for nearly 50 years -- being married there, raising her family there, developing countless lifelong friendships there – Donna joined Jim in a new adventure and moved to Lincoln in 1992. This move kept her close to her loving family and grandchildren; and, here too, she made many more wonderful friendships.
Donna was a member of United Methodist Church, both in Chadron and in Lincoln, at Aldersgate UMC. She was a member of PEO, a 50-year member of the Ivy Leaf Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She would also want to be remembered as a member of the Chadron Entre Nous club.
Donna was preceded in death by her mother and father; by her brother, Stanley; and by her sister, Shirley (Sho). She is survived by her husband, Jim; her sister Jeane Coyle of Denver; her sons, Gary (Wilma) of Savannah, MO, Dale (Carol) of Omaha, Scott (Gayle) of Des Moines, Curt (Patty) of Lincoln, and Criss (Dana) of Omaha; and by all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Born in Gordon on January 17, 1924, to R.B. and Gladys (Beckwith) Sailor, Donna was the youngest of four children.
After graduating from Gordon High School as Valedictorian, she moved to Chadron with a girlfriend to work as the office manager at the livestock auction. It was in Chadron that Donna met the man who was to be the love of her life for over 62 years, Jim Butler.
Her family and friends remember her as the essence of a loving, caring, giving, family-centered person. She brought much joy to others, and was blessed with many joys herself. Those joys almost all revolved around loving, and being loved by, her family – her husband, her sisters, her sons and their spouses, her 14 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
And Donna loved music, too – playing it, teaching it, and listening to it. She taught herself to play the piano at the age of four – and later the organ. By her estimate, she gave private piano and organ lessons to 272 children in the Chadron area. Donna played in dance bands as a high school student and well into adulthood. She was the organist at Chadron's United Methodist Church for many years. She continued to play at occasional events past her eightieth birthday.
Donna took great pride and joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren, whether professional, academic, athletic, or artistic – but maybe most especially in their musical accomplishments.
After making her home in Chadron for nearly 50 years -- being married there, raising her family there, developing countless lifelong friendships there – Donna joined Jim in a new adventure and moved to Lincoln in 1992. This move kept her close to her loving family and grandchildren; and, here too, she made many more wonderful friendships.
Donna was a member of United Methodist Church, both in Chadron and in Lincoln, at Aldersgate UMC. She was a member of PEO, a 50-year member of the Ivy Leaf Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She would also want to be remembered as a member of the Chadron Entre Nous club.
Donna was preceded in death by her mother and father; by her brother, Stanley; and by her sister, Shirley (Sho). She is survived by her husband, Jim; her sister Jeane Coyle of Denver; her sons, Gary (Wilma) of Savannah, MO, Dale (Carol) of Omaha, Scott (Gayle) of Des Moines, Curt (Patty) of Lincoln, and Criss (Dana) of Omaha; and by all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Former long-time Chadron resident, Donna J. Butler of Lincoln, passed away Friday, April 11, at Bryan LGH Hospital in Lincoln. Her loving husband, sons, and other close family members were at her side.
Born in Gordon on January 17, 1924, to R.B. and Gladys (Beckwith) Sailor, Donna was the youngest of four children.
After graduating from Gordon High School as Valedictorian, she moved to Chadron with a girlfriend to work as the office manager at the livestock auction. It was in Chadron that Donna met the man who was to be the love of her life for over 62 years, Jim Butler.
Her family and friends remember her as the essence of a loving, caring, giving, family-centered person. She brought much joy to others, and was blessed with many joys herself. Those joys almost all revolved around loving, and being loved by, her family – her husband, her sisters, her sons and their spouses, her 14 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
And Donna loved music, too – playing it, teaching it, and listening to it. She taught herself to play the piano at the age of four – and later the organ. By her estimate, she gave private piano and organ lessons to 272 children in the Chadron area. Donna played in dance bands as a high school student and well into adulthood. She was the organist at Chadron's United Methodist Church for many years. She continued to play at occasional events past her eightieth birthday.
Donna took great pride and joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren, whether professional, academic, athletic, or artistic – but maybe most especially in their musical accomplishments.
After making her home in Chadron for nearly 50 years -- being married there, raising her family there, developing countless lifelong friendships there – Donna joined Jim in a new adventure and moved to Lincoln in 1992. This move kept her close to her loving family and grandchildren; and, here too, she made many more wonderful friendships.
Donna was a member of United Methodist Church, both in Chadron and in Lincoln, at Aldersgate UMC. She was a member of PEO, a 50-year member of the Ivy Leaf Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She would also want to be remembered as a member of the Chadron Entre Nous club.
Donna was preceded in death by her mother and father; by her brother, Stanley; and by her sister, Shirley (Sho). She is survived by her husband, Jim; her sister Jeane Coyle of Denver; her sons, Gary (Wilma) of Savannah, MO, Dale (Carol) of Omaha, Scott (Gayle) of Des Moines, Curt (Patty) of Lincoln, and Criss (Dana) of Omaha; and by all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Born in Gordon on January 17, 1924, to R.B. and Gladys (Beckwith) Sailor, Donna was the youngest of four children.
After graduating from Gordon High School as Valedictorian, she moved to Chadron with a girlfriend to work as the office manager at the livestock auction. It was in Chadron that Donna met the man who was to be the love of her life for over 62 years, Jim Butler.
Her family and friends remember her as the essence of a loving, caring, giving, family-centered person. She brought much joy to others, and was blessed with many joys herself. Those joys almost all revolved around loving, and being loved by, her family – her husband, her sisters, her sons and their spouses, her 14 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
And Donna loved music, too – playing it, teaching it, and listening to it. She taught herself to play the piano at the age of four – and later the organ. By her estimate, she gave private piano and organ lessons to 272 children in the Chadron area. Donna played in dance bands as a high school student and well into adulthood. She was the organist at Chadron's United Methodist Church for many years. She continued to play at occasional events past her eightieth birthday.
Donna took great pride and joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren, whether professional, academic, athletic, or artistic – but maybe most especially in their musical accomplishments.
After making her home in Chadron for nearly 50 years -- being married there, raising her family there, developing countless lifelong friendships there – Donna joined Jim in a new adventure and moved to Lincoln in 1992. This move kept her close to her loving family and grandchildren; and, here too, she made many more wonderful friendships.
Donna was a member of United Methodist Church, both in Chadron and in Lincoln, at Aldersgate UMC. She was a member of PEO, a 50-year member of the Ivy Leaf Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She would also want to be remembered as a member of the Chadron Entre Nous club.
Donna was preceded in death by her mother and father; by her brother, Stanley; and by her sister, Shirley (Sho). She is survived by her husband, Jim; her sister Jeane Coyle of Denver; her sons, Gary (Wilma) of Savannah, MO, Dale (Carol) of Omaha, Scott (Gayle) of Des Moines, Curt (Patty) of Lincoln, and Criss (Dana) of Omaha; and by all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
