Obituary of William E. Butterfield

William E. Butterfield (Zion, IL), 88, was called home to our Lord on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.   He was born on June 12, 1928 to Charles and Brooksie Butterfield, in Riverside, CA.  Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Missouri and then later to Princeton, IL where he graduated from Princeton High School in 1946. 
 
He served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1953 during the Korean War. He also served in Germany for which he earned an Occupation Medal, and later a National Defense Service Medal. 

In 1961, he was the first male student to attend Illinois Masonic Hospital School of Nursing. He received his degree as a Registered Nurse in 1964. In 1967, he furthered his training to become a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) at the Minneapolis School of Anesthesia. 

On May 15, 1965, he married his soulmate, Linnaea (Oswald). William worked as a CRNA until his retirement.  He was “Papa” to all of his grandchildren and will be remembered by them most of all for his great hugs.   He loved to garden and see things grow.  He liked golfing, bowling, woodworking, and travel. At home he was a “Jack of all Trades” and never saw a project he couldn't tackle. 

He was preceded in death by his parents. 

He is survived by his wife Linnaea of 51 years, sister Marilyn and Dick Weller of Macomb, IL, brother Lyndon and Carolyn Butterfield of Princeton, IL, three children, Tim and Kim Butterfield of Bourbonnais, IL, Tammy Butterfield of Zion, IL, and Tom and Beth Butterfield of Horton, MI, and seven grandchildren, Abigail, Emma, Kate, and Jared of Bourbonnais, IL and Jake, Taylor, and Alex of Horton, MI. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 pm on Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Kankakee, IL at Grace Baptist Church, 2499 Waldron Road, Kankakee, IL 60901.

 
William’s ashes will be interred at a later date at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in William's honor to Tim and Joan Carmichael, c/o Grace Baptist Church, 2499 Waldron Road, Kankakee, IL 60901 or to the Northern Illinois Food Bank at
http://solvehungertoday.org/ways-to-give/.