Peter Button

BUTTON, PETER (1929 - 2014) died Monday after a short illness. He was a descendant of settlers who arrived in the "New World" before the Revolutionary War. Pete studied physics and graduated from Amherst College, and after graduate study at Columbia University began a career in design and development of optical lenses, cameras, scanning, and optical measurement equipment. He made important contributions to early satellite and ballistic missile guidance and tracking, as well as night vision scopes. He worked for American Cyanamid, Xerox and several small engineering companies before starting his own company, Image Technology Corporation. In 1983 he moved to Homestead where he designed and constructed a comfortable, energy-efficient home, which was featured in several publications, and began development of a tropical fruit farm, Button Farm, where he raised a variety of tropical fruit, until his death. He became active in the Cuttler Cove and later the Homestead Power Squadron, where he taught boating navigation and safety. He became a Master Gardener, proficient with orchids, tropical flowers and fruit, and he volunteered his expertise with the Miami/Dade Extension Service. He was a member of the Orchid Society, and the Tropical Fern and Exotic Plant Society. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 53 years, Edna; his children Deborah, Mona, Sherri and Stan; his 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. We invite Pete's friends to visit with his family at the Hotel Redland Tea Room in Homestead, on Friday March 21 from 3:30 - 6:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Greater Miami Humane Society at 2101 NW 95th St, Miami, FL 33147, or to your local Humane Society.