WWII Europe
James Franklin Butler, 92, Adrian, Missouri, died Monday, September 29, 2014 at home. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2014 at the Crescent Hill Cemetery in Adrian. Visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Thursday at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian Fire Department, or Grace Hospice, Kansas City, Missouri. Jim was born February 2, 1922 in Yuma, Colorado, the son of George Franklin and Mildred Elizabeth (Ballard) Butler. He was fond and proud to tell people that he was born in an old sod house. The family moved to Nebraska, then to Kansas, and on to Camden, Missouri in 1929, where he grew up, helping out on the family farm. Jim was inducted into the Armed Services in October, 1942. After basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, he was stationed on the Northwest Coast in the Mechanize Cavalry, then was sent to the European Theater in June, 1943, with the 28th Infantry Recon Division and returned to the states in August, 1945. Jim was then stationed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at Fort Shelby, where he served in the Military Police until an Honorable Discharge in October, 1945. After serving his country, which he was very proud of, Jim returned to Kansas City, Missouri. At this time, Jim worked at Security and Neevels. In 1947 he met his wife-to-be, Doris Anne Walker. They were married in Lathrop, Missouri on March 19, 1948 and raised three children. Jim then went to Barber School. After graduating and receiving his license, he went to work for O’Malley’s Barber Shop on the Plaza for 10 years. In 1957 he and his wife bought a farm west of Passaic, Missouri and he also bought and ran his own barber shop in Adrian, Missouri. In 1959, the family moved to Adrian; in 1961, they moved to Altona, Missouri and in 1964, they moved back to Adrian, where Jim has said Doris Anne told him she was through moving, so they haven’t moved since! Jim retired in 1983 from the barber shop, due to illness. Jim had many do-it-yourself hobbies and was always working with his hands. He loved to be outdoors and digging around in the earth or in the shop, making or revising something. Even when his health was poor, he had some project, sitting on his walker or by his chair that he was tinkering with. The family is very proud of all he did. Jim never knew a stranger. He was willing to talk to or give a hand to help anyone. The family remembers several times that strangers were at the house because he could do something to help them. There was never an animal that wasn’t welcome on his property, tame or wild; he would see that it was taken care of with food and water and compassion. Jim’s family loved listening to his life stories. He lived a very happy life and his family loved him. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Opal Turrell and Edith Eckert, two brothers, Bert Butler and Roy Butler, and one son, James Bradley Butler. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Doris Anne Butler of Adrian, Missouri; one daughter, Elaine Jones and husband, Robert of Grandview, Missouri; one son, John Butler of Adrian; 3 grandsons, David Jones and wife, Tristen of Humansville, Missouri, Michael Jones and wife, Ashley of Grandview, Missouri and Daniel Jones and wife, Samantha of Belton, Missouri; 2 great-grandchildren, Travis Jones and Karson Jones; and many nieces and nephews.