Rodney Ray Butler

Rodney Ray Butler, 69, of Barrington, IL and longtime resident of Arlington Heights, IL passed away peacefully on January 11, 2026. He was born on October 9, 1956 in Elgin, IL to the late Bernard and Joan Schmitz Butler.

He was a caring and conscientious man who found boundless joy in helping others and deeply loved the people and pets around him. He enjoyed an enormous range of activities and topics, most especially anything that tickled his engineering synapses: automobilia, electronics, computing, horticulture, home improvement, small engines, brewing, hunting and fishing, to name only some top favorites. He had an intense and accurate physicist’s intuition about the universe and its interconnections, which nearly always directed his efforts toward the best solution for any challenge, even if he had no specific previous experience. He was a beacon of knowledge that illuminated those around him with advice and guidance. Countless others learned and grew by his caring intelligence and frolicked in his witty humor and playfulness.

Rodney worked nearly 26 years at Motorola, where he began in 1977 as a Technician for factory quality assurance, later progressing to Senior Analyzer to train other technicians, then as Test Equipment Engineer helping to design and debug test fixtures for various product groups, and then as a visiting Development Engineer for products in Fort Worth, TX. By the early 1980's he moved into the International Group as Test Systems Technician, similar to his earlier work but with added software development as the test systems were becoming computer controlled, and quickly proceeded to Engineer level where he designed automation for entire manufacturing systems for factories in Germany, England, Ireland, Mexico, and Australia. In 1990 he moved groups again and continued as Software Tools Engineer, but expanded into System Administrator roles within the group as well. In 2000 he moved back to general Software Engineering in the Test Systems group, until his employment ended in 2003 as the group function was moved overseas.

He was a Shriner and Master Mason in good standing from 2001 to present, and worked to raise funds for children's healthcare through fun social events. In April of 2001 he joined the Scottish Rite of Northern Illinois and the Tebala Shrine.

Rodney will be deeply missed by his son, Anthony “Tony” Butler; his significant other, Mary Cassin; his sisters, Linda (Carl) Campo and Nancy (Thomas) Ryan; nieces and nephews, Travis Novak, Timothy (Julie Ehlen) Novak, Sean, Andrew, and Katherine Ryan; aunt-in-law, Marsha (Donald) Schmitz; cousins, Gregory (Rhea) Schmitz, Cindy (Dale) Rasche, Julia (Jerry) Butcher, Robert Butler, and Pamela (Raymond) Brancato.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by his uncles, Morris Butler, Harry Butler, Donald Schmitz, David Schmitz; aunt, Mary Margaret “Margy” Niemann; and cousins, Timothy Niemann, Roger Schmitz and Scott Butler, and favorite grandfather Wilson Walker Butler.

A celebration of Rodney’s life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
Shriners Children’s - https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/ways-to-give
Cancer Research Institute - https://www.cancerresearch.org/