Emma Jeanne Crowder Butler

Our mother, Emma Jeanne Crowder Butler, was born August 7, 1923 to parents Jewell Odessa Airhart Crowder and Alec Belcher Crowder. She died September 21, 2015, at the age of 92, surrounded by her loving family. We will celebrate her long and happy life Friday, September 25 at St. Paul United Methodist Church at 10am, Rev. H. E. (Steve) Stephens, officiating. Burial and graveside services will follow at 3pm at the Lubbock City Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, September 24 from 6pm to 8pm at Cox Funeral Home. Jeanne grew up in Sweetwater, TX and graduated from McMurry College in 1943 but eloped to Roswell, NM to marry our father, Joseph Weldon Butler on June 3, 1942, as he had enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was initially stationed there. Mother taught elementary school in Rising Star, TX and also in Dallas, TX, while Weldon attended Perkins School of Theology at SMU post-war. She earned her Master's Degree at West Texas State University after moving to Canyon, TX, where Weldon served as Director of the Wesley Foundation at West Texas State. Throughout her life, Mother served the United Methodist Church as our father's devoted better half and partner in Canyon, Wildorado, Follett, Amarillo, Lubbock, Borger, Midland, Plainview, Big Spring, Hereford and Roswell, New Mexico. During these happy times, Mother raised five children and taught elementary school in many cities where dad was assigned pastorates. After retiring in 1986, Mother and Dad travelled to Hawaii many times, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Europe, and the Philippines, as well as to visit children and grandchildren in various states. They also volunteered as English tutors for ESL adults (associated with Texas Tech University), local Methodist churches and senior programs. Our mother was loved deeply by her children and grandchildren and was tireless in her creativity, support, sense of humor, and love. Mother lived to serve God, her husband, her children, and her church. We remember her tenacious energy, her fondness for Coca Cola, her belief in education, her ability to make something out of nothing, and her refusal to complain in adversity or discomfort. In recent years, she enjoyed her life at The Craig Methodist community in Amarillo. She is preceded in death by our father, J. Weldon Butler, our beloved brother, Charles Richard (Rick) Butler, her parents, her beloved aunt Leona Airhart, and her brother Alex B. Crowder II. She is survived by Don Butler and wife Kathy, of Brighton, CO, daughter Patty Butler of Castle Rock, CO, Tim Butler and wife Michelle of Amarillo, daughter Janice Holmes and husband Dave, of Littleton CO, daughter-in-law Teri Butler of Garland, TX, grandchildren, Drew Deaton, Julie Fletcher, Rachel Butler, Emma Phelps, Nicholas Phelps, Katie Butler, Brett Butler, Nathan Butler, and four great-grandchildren. Our family suggests memorials to The American Cancer Society, McMurry University, the United Methodist Church of your choice, and literacy advocacy programs.

Visitation Schedule

Cox Funeral Home 4180 Canyon Drive Amarillo, TX 79109 Thursday, September 24, 2015 6 - 8 pm

Service Schedule

Funeral Service Saint Paul United Methodist Church 4317 I-40 West Amarillo, TX 79106 Friday, September 25, 2015 10:00 a.m. Graveside Service City of Lubbock Cemetery Lubbock, TX Friday, September 25, 2015 3:00 pm

Burial Schedule

City of Lubbock Cemetery Lubbock , TX

Memorial Contributions

American Cancer Society Amarillo, TX McMurry Univeristy Abilene, TX United Methodist Church of choice Amarillo, TX