Kent Butler

Kent Butler Kent Butler, beloved father, husband, brother, friend, teacher, and generous public servant to the City of Austin and Central Texas Communities died on May 13 in Yosemite National Park. Kent was an Associate Dean of the Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of Texas School of Architecture. Kent helped create the Barton Springs Edwards-Aquifer groundwater management district, and set a national standard for habitat conservation plans through his plan for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, one of the largest urban preserves in the United States. In addition to teaching generations of students, Kent devoted much of his life to creating solutions to balance communities' need for water while also preserving water and wildlife. His devoted friend, Dowell Meyers had this to say about his long time colleague. "Kent Butler is one of the unsung heroes of planning. I dare to say that legions of planners, as well as department chairs and deans from across the country, have shared my experience of learning from Kent. Kent was an activist at bringing environmental science into the service of planning. His specialty was water resources and he pursued a professional goal of implementation, without which planning can have no success. This meant that instead of writing books, Kent served on commissions and negotiated with developers. His efforts and impact were profound, and he also lost a lot of battles along the way. The growth of Austin is such a fearsome force to contend with, but he did manage to guide it and mitigate its impacts. Austin remains the jewel of Texas because of Kent and other committed leaders in that city. The markers of his greatest professional achievement are probably the road signs in Austin that tell us when we are entering or leaving the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. This is a symbolic victory of great civic and environmental import. What kept Kent on track in such a challenging professional role was his positive attitude. His spirit was contagious for all who knew him, and his example shines on." It is particularly poignant that Kent died from a fall while hiking the Vernal Falls Trail above the Merced River while vacationing in Yosemite National Park. Helping others to the end, Kent stepped to the edge of the trail to let another hiker pass and lost his footing. Shortly before his fall, Kent was helping other hikers see rainbows and he was waxing philosophical about water (as he often did). Kent was like the water he felt so connected to, he flowed through our lives and the life of our communities, gently shaping, renewing and serving as a source of quiet strength. Though he was tireless in his work he thought and often said that his purpose on this earth was to protect and take care of those he loved, his beloved children, Lana Butler, Emily Butler, Josh Butler and Nick Kincaid and his beloved wife Christy; he was constant in his devotion to that task. He leaves all of us, even those he never met, in better shape than he found us. His love knew no bounds and as a result he is survived by his wife and children; his son-in-law Dave Kaz; his brother Bruce Butler; sister-in-law, Phyllis Butler; sister, Lind Butler; brother-in-law, Bill Connolly and an enormous extended family and a host of friends. Remembrances of Kent may be made by contributions to the Kent S. Butler Memorial Fund at the UT School of Architecture, (512 471-6114, Development Office, UT School of Architecture, 1 University Station, B7500, Austin, TX 78712-0222 ), to benefit students and programs in his devoted field. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 26th at 4:30 p.m. at the University of Texas Alumni Center.
A note of interest: Kent made it a point to never wear black to a funeral.