Halbert "Hal" Harold Butcher, 85, of Queen Creek, Arizona, passed away on September 19, 2008. Services were held at Fairview Cemetery in Superior, Arizona. Hal lived an extraordinarily full and generous life, marked by service, hard work, and love for people.
Born January 21, 1923, in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Hal was the son of Harold Sheridan Butcher and Zillah Louise Coleman. He grew up on a dairy farm, where the work was demanding but the fresh meat and eggs were a blessing during the difficult years of the Great Depression.
About to turn 18 — and despite not knowing how to swim — Hal enlisted in the United States Navy on January 17, 1941. He was assigned to the USS Argonne, a Fleet Commander Service Flag Ship that served as a floating machine shop and supply ship with submarine tender facilities. The Argonne was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hal was on early morning submarine net watch as coxswain of the #1 motor launch and was returning to the ship when the attack began.
After surviving the attack, Hal worked tirelessly alongside others to rescue survivors and recover the fallen from the USS Arizona, USS Utah, and USS Oklahoma. He later achieved the rank of Boatswain's Mate First Class and served at Guadalcanal, where he supported P.T. boats and other small craft. In August 1944, he transferred to the USS La Porte, an attack transport ship serving in the Pacific War. Following his honorable discharge in 1945, he continued his service in the Naval Reserves for six more years.
Hal's civilian life was just as full. He worked across the country as a road construction worker and foreman, helping build roads and highways. In western South Dakota, he embraced the social life of owning and operating bars and mechanic shops. In 1970, he settled in Kelvin, Arizona, where he owned Kelvin Custom Repairs, fixing appliances, small motors, air conditioners, and vehicles. He also worked for many years at the Ray copper mine in Kearny, Arizona, where he served as a foreman until a mine accident ended his mining career.
Afterward, Hal returned to eastern South Dakota — living in Chester, Viborg, and Freeman — where he continued his entrepreneurial spirit by owning and operating bars, liquor stores, and even a chicken restaurant. In the 1980s, he returned to Arizona and devoted countless hours volunteering at the local VFW in Superior.
Hal and his wife Dorothea opened their home to many foster children over the years, extending their love and stability to those who needed it most. Those who knew Hal remembered him as a joyful and welcoming presence, a man who never met a stranger and greeted friends and newcomers alike with warmth, humor, and, often, a cold beer.
Hal is survived by his wife, Dorothea; daughter Heather (Henry) George and grandchildren Stacy, Lori, and Hailie; stepson Robert (Alice) Koob and grandchildren Jennifer, Jason, and Jeffrey; stepdaughter Hollie (Charlie) Cox and grandchildren Brian and Kristi; and his sisters Pearl Butcher Baker, Alice Wilkins, and Margaret Burman.
Born January 21, 1923, in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Hal was the son of Harold Sheridan Butcher and Zillah Louise Coleman. He grew up on a dairy farm, where the work was demanding but the fresh meat and eggs were a blessing during the difficult years of the Great Depression.
About to turn 18 — and despite not knowing how to swim — Hal enlisted in the United States Navy on January 17, 1941. He was assigned to the USS Argonne, a Fleet Commander Service Flag Ship that served as a floating machine shop and supply ship with submarine tender facilities. The Argonne was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hal was on early morning submarine net watch as coxswain of the #1 motor launch and was returning to the ship when the attack began.
After surviving the attack, Hal worked tirelessly alongside others to rescue survivors and recover the fallen from the USS Arizona, USS Utah, and USS Oklahoma. He later achieved the rank of Boatswain's Mate First Class and served at Guadalcanal, where he supported P.T. boats and other small craft. In August 1944, he transferred to the USS La Porte, an attack transport ship serving in the Pacific War. Following his honorable discharge in 1945, he continued his service in the Naval Reserves for six more years.
Hal's civilian life was just as full. He worked across the country as a road construction worker and foreman, helping build roads and highways. In western South Dakota, he embraced the social life of owning and operating bars and mechanic shops. In 1970, he settled in Kelvin, Arizona, where he owned Kelvin Custom Repairs, fixing appliances, small motors, air conditioners, and vehicles. He also worked for many years at the Ray copper mine in Kearny, Arizona, where he served as a foreman until a mine accident ended his mining career.
Afterward, Hal returned to eastern South Dakota — living in Chester, Viborg, and Freeman — where he continued his entrepreneurial spirit by owning and operating bars, liquor stores, and even a chicken restaurant. In the 1980s, he returned to Arizona and devoted countless hours volunteering at the local VFW in Superior.
Hal and his wife Dorothea opened their home to many foster children over the years, extending their love and stability to those who needed it most. Those who knew Hal remembered him as a joyful and welcoming presence, a man who never met a stranger and greeted friends and newcomers alike with warmth, humor, and, often, a cold beer.
Hal is survived by his wife, Dorothea; daughter Heather (Henry) George and grandchildren Stacy, Lori, and Hailie; stepson Robert (Alice) Koob and grandchildren Jennifer, Jason, and Jeffrey; stepdaughter Hollie (Charlie) Cox and grandchildren Brian and Kristi; and his sisters Pearl Butcher Baker, Alice Wilkins, and Margaret Burman.
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