STEPHEN BUTTERS

1929 - 2020

Stephen Laurence Butters, a beloved brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather died of complications with the Corona Virus (COVID-19) on September 28, 2020 at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. Steve was born to Bernece OBrien Butters and Valentine Francis Butters in Brawley, California on December 10, 1929. Steve grew up on his familys farm east of Brawley along with his four sisters. When he was 4 years old his mother (Agnes Bernece Butters) died in a car accident. His father Val Butters remarried years later to Dixie Byrum and added a step-sister and later a half sister to the family. He attended Magnolia Elementary School, Brawley Union High School, University of California Santa Barbara, Chaffey College, Florida Christian College, San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate School. After graduating from Brawley High School at the age of 16, he attended the University of Santa Barbara for one semester and then transferred to Chaffey College in Ontario, California where he met his wife Mona Fay Daugherty. Steve and Mona married in 1950 and shared 61 years of life together with their three children Mark Alan Butters, Cheryll Dianne Butters-Vosburgh and Timothy Shawn Butters. Steve was a minister at the Church of Christ from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. During this time Steve had several careers from ministering to farming to public education. Steve started his career in public education as an English Teacher at new Montclair High School in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. Steve would continue to work for the Chaffey Joint Union High School District as a teacher and counselor at Montclair High School, a vice principal at Ontario High School, a Principal at Alta Loma High School and again at Montclair High School. Steve was also the Chaffey Districts Director of Student Welfare and Attendance and retired as the Director of Business Services for the District in 1989. Steve was a member of the Brawley FFA, Ontario Rotary, Phi Delta Kappa and a long time member of the Rancho Grande Kiwanis Club where he served as the president and was the 1986-87 Lieutenant Governor for the California-Nevada-Hawaii District. Steve was known for his wit and humor, his compassion for all creatures, and for his love of the outdoors. He was a poet and an avid reader. Steve took many adventurous trips to the outdoors with his family and friends. He loved to hike and horseback in the Sierra mountains and throughout the country. In his later years Steve and Mona took to the highways in their motor home and traveled from Alaska to Newfoundland to the Florida Keys and all points in between. They enjoyed the company of many friends and family along the way and often traveled with the California Coasters RV Club. Steve loved his wife Mona of 61 years and all his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews. Steve was preceded in death by his mother, and father, Bernece and Val Butters; stepmother, Dixie Herron; wife, Mona Butters; sisters, Patricia Woelke, Luella Smith, Lauretta Taylor and his second wife, Helen Issacs Butters. He is survived by his sister, Margaret (Bill) Ballentine, Mary Ruth Reeves and Frances (Simon) Carey; his son, Mark (Dana) Butters; his daughter, Cheryll (Ted) Vosburgh; his son, Shawn (Karen) Butters; 6 grand children and 6 great- grand children (two more on the way) and 7 step grandchildren and 9 step-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and many friends. Due to COVID-19 protocols, services will be private with a viewing for grandchildren at 10:30 and a private memorial service with his children held in the Draper Mortuary Chapel at 11:30 a.m. on October 28, 2020. Friends and family are invited to watch the services live streamed at the Draper Mortuary website. The services will be saved to the Draper mortuary website for future viewing. Private Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Forrest Lawn Cemetery.