Donald R. Butcher

Donald Ray Butcher, age 89, of Coffeyville, Kansas, went home to be with the Lord on December 24, 2014. Donald Ray Butcher was born on March 19, 1925, at home in Saline, Missouri, to Lawrence A. and Georgia (Davis) Butcher. Don grew up around the Saline, Missouri, area. Don attended a one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade. In high school, he worked as a sales clerk in a grocery store, as well as working at a feed store. He was on the track team and played basketball and baseball. In 1943, Don graduated from Princeton High School in Princeton, Missouri, receiving a special award for perfect attendance in both elementary school and high school. During World War II, Don enlisted in the United State Marine Corps. He attended and graduated from military school. He worked as a Clerk Typist and a Teletype Operator from August 1943 to April 1946. He fought in battles in the Pacific in defense of the Marshalis Islands, earning the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon and the Defense Ribbon. He was a corporal when he received an honorable medical discharge from service. In 1946, Don started working at General Motors in the body shop. Don met the love of his life, Edna Vohs, on a blind date. The two married on June 19, 1948, in Paola, Kansas, on Edna"s parents" farm. Don attended and graduated from the Kansas City College of Mortuary Science. Even though he got his degree in Mortuary Science, he continued to work at General Motors. Don and Edna"s home was one filled with laughter, love, and dancing. Don loved to tease Edna until he heard her laugh. The two also loved ballroom and square dancing. Their daughters, Vickie and Joyce, were the joy of their lives. After their daughters were born, Don and Edna bought a farm outside of Trimble, Missouri. They worked side by side to make their family and their farm successful. Don loved the farm, working in the fields, and raising cattle and sheep. Don loved his girls more than anything in the world. He took great pride in being their dad. He built them an ice skating rink, taught them to work the farm, took them camping, and loved going fishing with them. Don worked hard his entire life to provide for them. In 1976, Don and Edna started a new chapter in their lives by moving to Shawnee, Kansas. Shortly after their move, they became grandparents. Their lives immediately began to revolve around their grandchildren. After 43 years of working for General Motors, Don retired in 1990. Don spent his retirement building many similar memories with his grandchildren that he did with his children, including fishing and camping trips. He also taught his granddaughters how to ballroom dance. After retirement, Don and Edna moved to Conway, Arkansas, and then to Coffeyville, Kansas. Don loved to play Scrabble with his wife, doing crossword puzzles, and going to garage sales. When his great grandchildren began arriving, Don worked hard to make memories with each of them as well. As long as he physically could, Don took his great grandchildren to the park, on walks in the wagon, and played games with them. Until his death, Don"s eyes always lit up at the sight of his loved ones. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren never questioned Don"s love for them. In 2012, Don was preceded in death by the love of his life, Edna. Don was also preceded in death by his parents and his sister-in-law, Juanita Vohs. Don is survived by his two daughters- Vickie Carnine and husband, Ron, of Coffeyville, KS; and Joyce Prater and husband, Barry, of Maumelle, AR; five grandchildren- Jennifer Gaines and husband, Jarrod, of Peabody, KS; Amy Johnson and husband, Ben, of Coffeyville, KS; Nicole Miller and husband, Shawn, of Sugar Land, TX; Chase Prater of Maumelle, AR; and Marshall Prater and fianc"e, Brandye Pruss, and her daughter Kaylee, of Maumelle, AR; eight great grandchildren- Devon, Morgan, and Weston Gaines; Serenity and Bradyn Johnson; Seth and Macey Miller; and Autymn Prater; and one great grandbaby on the way; his sisters- Mary Perkins and husband, Clarence, of Lee Summit, MO; and Marcie Van Dyke of Kansas City, MO; his brother-in-law, Earl Vohs, of Louisburg, KS; and many other family members that held a large part of his heart. The family requests that memorials be left in the care of the funeral home to American Alzheimer"s Association.