James F. Butler

James Franklin Butler, 70, of Olmsted, and formerly of Cairo, died at 9:37 a.m. Thursday, June 25, 2009, at his home.

Mr. Butler was born in Barlow, Ky., on Feb. 14, 1939, the son of Thomas Butler and Marie Weaver Butler.

Mr. Butler was a member of the Mighty Rivers Worship Center in Cairo. He was a member of the National Guard. He was a retired maintenance superintendent with Alexander County Housing after 24 years. He was an avid fisherman.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Nathan, Charles and Richard Butler; and two sisters, Lola Grant and Nellie Wilson.

Survivors include three sons, James Ray Butler of Birmingham, Ala., Kevin Butler of Mound City and Rodney Butler of San Diego, Calif.; two daughters, Kim Malone of Villa Ridge and Christina Lewis of Rantoul; three sisters, Nancy Sharp of Olmsted, Mary Louise Tomberlin of Mound City and Minnie Macan of Kansas City, Kan.; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Mr. Butler were at 1 p.m. Monday, June 29, at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge with the Rev. Mike Sharp, nephew, officiating.

Interment was in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens in Villa Ridge with full military honors given by an Illinois Army National Guard honors detail and local veterans.

Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge was in charge of arrangements.