Beverly Butler

Beverly Mae Butler (Nee Miller) 1928 – 2025. Beverly died peacefully Tuesday October 14, 2025, at Good Samaritan Estherville, Iowa. Bev was born on the family farm near Dolliver, Iowa on May 7, 1928. She grew up on the farm with horses pulling the plows instead of tractors and without electricity. She graduated from Dolliver High School in 1946 and graduated from Drake University in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. At Drake she was a varsity basketball player and played in the Drake marching band. Her first job was teaching in a one room schoolhouse in Graettinger, Iowa. She married Wilber Tony “Bill” Butler on June 6, 1951. She finished her 30-year teaching career in Sioux Falls, SD at Edison Jr. High School. After retiring, Bev and Bill spent many wonderful years at their cottage on Steven’s Cove, Spirit Lake’s south shore and traveling the country in their RV. With Bill, Bev was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Spirit Lake and several other community organizations.

Bev was preceded in death by her husband Bill Butler, two sons, Mack Miller Butler and Vance Lee Butler and her brothers Ralph Edward Miller and Gale William “Bill” Miller, and her parents. She is survived by her son, Richard Benjamin Butler and his wife Elizabeth of Durango, CO, her daughter, Anne Butler Hines and her husband Steve of Elk City, OK, her daughters in law, Patsy Butler Gratzsefeld of Sioux Falls, SD, Lori Butler Croneos of Chandler, AZ, her grandchildren, Casey Gunther Adams and her husband Ken of Bloomington, MN, Claire Brannan Butler of New York, NY, Brooks Henry Butler of Atlanta, GA, Brett Richard Butler and his wife Caitlyn of Arvada, CO, Kelsey Leigh Butler and her husband Kyle of Sioux Falls, and Chase Miller Hines of Elk City, OK and three great grandchildren, Ava Jo Adams of Bloomington, MN, Kai Henry Kirschten of Sioux Falls, SD and Jade Pauline Butler of Arvada, CO.

A Celebration of Bev’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please send memorials to the First Presbyterian Church of Spirit Lake, IA. The Turner Jenness Funeral Home of Spirit Lake will be handling arrangements.