Name: Celebration of Life for Col Arthur Maurice Butler
Start: 2022-06-01T18:30:00.000Z
Location: St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church

Arthur Maurice Butler, Colonel, CSG, resident of Riverside, CA, for 51 years passed away at home on March 13, 2022. He was 74 years old. Marty (as he was known by family and friends) was born at Itami AFB, Japan in 1947, the son of Colonel John E. Butler Jr USAF (Ret) and Connie M. (Hartzell) Butler. Marty began serving in 1970 in the Air Force Reserve and continued for over a decade. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, he continued his service to our nation by volunteering for the California State Guard. He was commissioned as a Captain and served for 20 years attaining the rank of Colonel. Marty was the beloved husband to his wife, the former Celine M. Bell; was a revered uncle to six nieces and nephews and great uncle to five grandnieces and grandnephews. Marty was a lifelong collector of antiques and would have been considered an expert in many fields. He was a pilot (power and gliders), sailor and horseman. Whether fly fishing or wing shooting, he loved the camaraderie of friends and the outdoors. And of course, his wonderful spaniels were part of his adventures. Marty earned an undergraduate degree of Political Science at the California State University, San Bernardino and completed advanced studies at the University of Southern California. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Phi Omega. Marty began his career at California State University San Bernardino as a police officer and rose to the rank of Chief of Police (POST-certified). Offered a promotion to continue his career at the University, Marty accepted the position of Executive Director of the Foundation, retiring after 32 years. After leaving active service at the University, he served as the University Hearing Officer, was a board member for the Museum, Community Leaders Board and the Committee for Arts and Letters. He was Executive Director Emeritus of the Foundation. Marty supported his community, the military and veteran's organizations throughout his life. He was a member of Serra, the Exchange Club, Air Force Association and Daedalions. He served on the City of Riverside Personnel Board, Human Resources Board and the Airport Commission. He also served on the County of Riverside Airport Land Use Commission. He was Board Member and a Trustee for the Thomas Waltham Foundation at Flabob Airport. In addition, Marty was a member of the regional Selective Service Board. Marty is survived by his devoted wife of 51 years, Celine. He is also survived by his brother, Colonel Raymond M. Butler USAF (Ret) of Redlands, California. A Celebration of Life Mass will be on June 1st at 11:30 am at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, 3680 Arlington Avenue, Riverside, California. Those who wish to honor Marty's life are encouraged to consider a donation to the Daedalian Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers. Please send to the Order of Daedalians 30th Flight, 17050 Arnold Drive, Box H-101, Riverside, CA, 92518 or contact at email address: [email protected].

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Published by The Press-Enterprise on May 8, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Arthur Butler

4 Entries

Col Raymond (Mike) Butler, USAF (Ret)

May 14, 2024

The "Butler Boys" enjoying a Christmas martini, about 1995.

Col Raymond (Mike) Butler, USAF (Ret)

May 14, 2024

I´m Mike Butler, Marty´s kid brother. I realize that many of you knew him as Art, but our family was keen on nicknames and we always called him Marty.

Marty was born in Osaka, Japan in 1947. Dad was assigned there as part of the occupation forces and Marty was the first Western male born in Japan after WWII.

In an effort to help out the Japanese economy, our local military was encouraged to employ Japanese maids and nannies. So, for the first two-and-a-half years of his life, Marty spent a lot of time with his Japanese nanny. He spent so much time with her that he learned to speak Japanese somewhat fluently rather than English.

When dad, mom, and Marty eventually transferred back to the States, our grandparents were very surprised that, other than a few creative and colorful curse words in English, they couldn´t understand a word that he said. I´m not certain if it had anything to do with the fact that when Marty was born, dad was a 25 year old pilot, newly returned from flying combat tours in the South Pacific and hadn´t become fully "civilized". I´m sure it´s just a coincidence that Marty picked up some English curse words. I wasn´t around yet to enjoy this because I wouldn´t enter the picture until six months later when my family was transferred to a small base in Dallas, Texas.

When I did show up, it was the beginning of a lifetime of adventures for "The Butler Boys". We had the great good fortune to be born into a career Air Force family and we reveled in all that being Air Force Brats afforded us. By the time Marty entered college, he had been to ten different schools. Moving every one to three years meant having to say goodbye to current friends and making new friends at the new base. It also meant you were usually the "new kid in class". Marty loved the challenge and made new friends easily and instantly.

When we were stationed in Germany, Marty and I would build forts and play Knights of the Roundtable in the forest behind our quarters. When we were stationed at the Pentagon, we built forts in the forest behind our neighborhood and played Civil War. Wherever my family was stationed, Marty and I always shared the same friends, played on the same neighborhood football teams in the Winter and the same baseball teams in the Summer. When we were stationed at Maxwell AFB in 1961 we both even fell in love with the same beautiful girl who lived across the street. Totally unrequited love I might add.

Marty was always pursuing edgy hobbies; from barrel racing and pole bending on his horse Patsy in gymkhanas during his junior high and early high school years in Wyoming, rock climbing very high, shear cliffs during his senior year of high school in California, and flying high performance sail planes while in college in California.

Of course, as most brothers do, sometimes we would get into epic fights with each other. One time, when Marty and I were in our early teens, our family was visiting dad´s parents. Marty and I got into a fight and were rolling around on the floor. Our grandmother was so upset that she threatened to call the sheriff who lived across the street. That caused Marty and me to break out in uncontrollable laughter... end of fight.

Marty and I both served in the military, beginning as enlisted men, then, after graduating from college, crossing over into the darkside and becoming commissioned officers. We would often give each other advice about our assignments, none of which we ever followed. We were always extremely proud of each other´s accomplishments.

For the past 20 years, we would have lunch and martinis together at least once a week. I miss my brother. He was my best friend.