Johnny Ray Butler

Johnny R. Butler
Danby-Johnny Ray Butler, 67, of Danby passed away on August 4th, 2025 after a brave stand against an aggressive cancer he endured for two years, surrounded by family & dogs (Loki). He was born March 9, 1958, in Springfield, VT, the son of Edith & Thomas Butler. He served the Village & Town of Ludlow for 32 years where he made many lifelong friends & connections. After he retired, he pursued his passion for flipping homes.
He would've told anyone that nothing matters more than family. Alongside his wife, Sally, he raised three daughters, Jackie (son-in-law Ed), Jennifer (son-in-law Matt), and Aileen & grandchildren (Olivia, Ava, Madisen, Malachi, Peyton, Morgan, Greta, Mathias, and miss Madelyn) that literally meant the world to him. He was a caring godfather to (Tori & Cameron) for neighbors that became family (Carolyn & BJ). His brothers and sisters (Betty, Bea, Mary, Peanut, Jeanie, Tommy, and Billy) would tell you tales of heart, kindness, laughter, pranks, and ingenuity, and strength that made him extraordinary to share space and time with. He cared for his nieces, nephews and cousins and loved including them on his adventures & hobbies. His coworkers and friends would tell you that he loved bringing people together to share in the joy of life any chance he had. He was literally the man who would give the shirt off his back, or his last dollar, or even a toy to a child he didn't know if it brought that person care or comfort. Each of his neighbors became lifelong friends - an important life value he bestowed on others - to always be kind neighbors. His hobbies included his lifelong love of hunting and fishing (which he especially loved with his brothers), beekeeping, building literally anything - including several houses & helping anyone with a project they couldn't figure out. There's nothing he enjoyed more in life than helping others, and also sharing his love of anything and watching others enjoy life, especially his grandchildren. He had many grateful memories with people he loved and treasured throughout his life.
A service for Johnny will be held on August 16, at First Congregational Church of Wallingford, VT at 11am. In lieu of flowers, Johnny preferred that donations to the church be made in his honor. There will be no graveside service following.
He really wanted people to live joyfully, that's how he would most enjoy being remembered, and that's how we invite all to honor his extraordinary life journey. We invite anyone that knew Johnny to come share happy stories on August 23 at West Rutland American Legion from 1pm-6pm for a celebration of his life.