Jimmie Butterfield died this week.
His obit is pretty humble. So was the man.
Jimmie used to come to my classroom with his bride of 65+ years, Mary. She would joke with him, and us, and call him by his high school nickname, “But”. Maybe it was “Butt”, I do not know, but they had fun playing around with each other in front of 17 and 18 year olds.
Ten years ago, after the two of them and Danny Lawler, another First Marine Division veteran of really hard fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa, came to my room for an afternoon, I came home to an email from one of my senior girls, telling me how meaningful meeting Jimmie and Mary and Danny was to her and her classmates. Jimmie, of course was blind and hard of hearing. Mary had to yell at him, he would crack a grin under the dark glasses and flirt with her. The girls loved it.
You see, Jimmie Butterfield got struck not once but twice in the head by enemy fire at Okinawa on May 19, 1945. He was evacuated first to Guam, then to Hawaii and later stateside for over 18 months and as many for reconstructive surgery. It was clear early on though that he would never see again.
He told us that he told his high school sweetheart to leave him be. Not to get attached to him, a blind man.
Well, she told us what she thought of that. They ran a small mom and pop store back in Glens Falls together until they retired.
Mary passed last fall. Jimmie died at home this week. What obstacles they overcame together…
What more can I say.
James F. Butterfield
GLENS FALLS — James F. Butterfield, 87, of Glens Falls, passed away Monday, June 24, 2013, at his home.
He was born Dec. 17, 1925, in Glens Falls, the son of the late James and Helen K. (McNulty) Butterfield.
Jim was a veteran with the U.S. Marines, serving as a corporal during World War II. He served in the South Pacific and, upon discharge, was awarded the Purple Heart.
He married the love of his life, Mary LaCivita in 1945; they enjoyed 67 years of wonderful marriage before she passed away Oct. 25, 2012.
Jim and his wife, Mary, were the proud owners and operators of Butterfield Grocery Store on Bay Street for 40 years. They loved traveling to Hawaii and Florida and cherished the time spent with their family.
Besides his mother and his wife, Mary, he was predeceased by his only daughter, Mary Jane (Butterfield) Daley; his brother, Ken Butterfield; and his sister, Alice.
Survivors include four grandchildren, Holli (David) Flaherty, of Boston, Mass., Jessica Daley of Philadelphia, Pa., James Daley of Boston, Mass., and Rebecca Daley of Columbia, S.C.; his sister-in-law, Celia Butterfield of Vermont; and nieces, Barbara (Chuck) Krull of North Carolina and Mary (Kevin) Hastings of Glens Falls.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, 2013, at St. Mary’s Church, 62 Warren St., Glens Falls.
Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, South Glens Falls.
Friends may call from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29, at Singleton Sullivan Potter Funeral Home, 407 Bay Road, Queensbury.
Remembrances can be made in Jim’s memory to Glens Falls Association for the Blind, 144 Ridge St., Glens Falls, NY 12801.
For those who wish, online condolences may be made by visiting sbfuneralhome.com.
Dan Lawler and James Butterfield
You can view a book preview at the Amazon site. Available in digital and paperback format. Book can also be purchased at http://matthewrozell.com/order-the-things-our-fathers-saw/
Teaching History Matters 