John T. "Ole Sarge" Butler

John passed away Monday, June 24, 2019 at New Hope Bay Assisted Living. He was born September 12, 1930 in Unadilla Township to the late John J. and Daisy L. (Roberts) Butler. John graduated from Fowlerville High School in 1949 with a class of 49. In his early years he drove a milk truck every morning before high school delivering milk to the dairy and worked on the family farm. He retired after 25 years from the Michigan State Police and this is where he got the nickname Sarge; He then went on to work for at the Bay County Courthouse 16 years as the District Court Magistrate, upon retirement from the county; he then went to work at Gephart Funeral Home for several years as a Funeral Assistant. While he was Magistrate he was president of MADCM for 2 years and treasurer for 1 year. He was also the liaison for SADD for many years. John was a member of REACT helping to pull trailers to rest areas, serving cookies and drinks to travelers during holiday weekends. He enjoyed fishing, deer and pheasant hunting, wood working, and tinkering with things to make them work again. He loved to take long boat rides, watching sports of any kind, especially his great grandsons play Little League, he loved camping every summer and then traveled to Florida in the winter as a "Snow Bird" and enjoyed riding trails on his 4 wheelers and checking out where he hunted. John proudly served his country in the United States Army in Alaska where he worked with ham radios during the Korean Conflict.                         .He is survived by his children; Deborah Adamczyk, John L. (his fiancée Linda Manyen) Butler, Dennis (Kim) Butler, Diane (Duane) Laking, Dawn (Ken) VanDenBoom, Patricia (John Paul) Hartson and Tina (Todd) Buda, fourteen grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; one brother, Terry (Ginny) Butler; two sisters, Joan (Ronald) Thomas and June (Nick) Risner; many nieces and nephews and his morning breakfast crew and table crew at New Hope Bay. In addition to his parents he was also preceded in death by his wife, Vernetta A. "Peachy" Butler whom he married December 27, 1951; his son-in-law; Anthony Adamczyk, his grandson, Andrew VanDenBoom; his brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Norma Butler.Funeral services will take place Friday, June 28, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Gephart Funeral Home, Inc. with a Graveside Committal Service and Military Honors following in Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will be present to receive friends and relatives at the Gephart Funeral Home, Inc. on Wednesday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Thursday from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider donations to Michigan State Troopers Assistant Fund or Wishes of the Family.