HAROLD JONES BUTLER

Harold Butler

Harold Jones Butler, 93, of Rushville, formerly of Arcola, died at 12:24 p.m. July 1, 2020, at Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville.

He was born Jan. 5, 1927, in Charleston, a son of Jones and Verbal Henninger Butler. He married Donna Carrothers on Nov. 15, 1953. She survives.

Also surviving are three sons and their families: Scott and Linda of Rushville, Jeff and Mary of Monticello and Bryan and Linda of Ankeny, Iowa; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Hobart Milton Butler; and one sister, Evelyn Mae Atkins.

He was drafted into the United States Army during World War II before completing his senior year of high school and served in Korea. After being honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of corporal, he returned to Arcola and worked as a farm hand for local farmers and at Koehne Manufacturing in Mattoon.

After marrying Donna, he worked as a hired man for Myron Whisnand. He and Donna then moved to the Howsmon farm west of Arcola in 1955 and he began his life-long pursuit of farming. In addition, he later took on the job of rural mail carrier while continuing to farm. In 1993, he retired from active farming and moved to town, and eventually to Rushville.

He was a member of the VFW, Lions Club, and for decades, First Christian Church of Arcola.

Funeral services were held July 7 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Arcola with Rev. Brent Budd officiating. Burial with military rites were conducted by the Arcola VFW and American Legion. Worthington Funeral Home in Rushville was in charge of local arrangements.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church of Arcola or First Christian Church of Rushville.

Condolences may be sent to www.worthingtonfh.com.

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 7/15/2020