Russell Gene"" Butler

BUTLER-Russell Eugene “Gene” Butler, (84), died March 24, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM following a lengthy illness. He was born on September 16, 1926, in Carthage MO, to Phill and Esther Butler. Mr. Butler moved to Flagstaff, AZ in 1938 with his family. He graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1944. Following his service in the Navy during WWII, he played semi-pro baseball. He was employed by the Department of Agriculture, ASCS, in Flagstaff and Phoenix. In 1977, he moved to Albuquerque to accept a position with the Department of the Interior, Four Corners Regional Commission. He was a lifetime member of the Elks. He loved anything having to do with automobile or boat engines. He was Service Manager at Babbitt Ford in Flagstaff and operated his own auto repair shop. He was always willing to share his wealth of knowledge about engines with anyone who needed help or advice. Mr. Butler was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends who were touched by his generosity, honesty and sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Charles and son Charles “Chuck” Butler.He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Glenelle Gray Butler, daughter Andrea (Rusty) Heil, Surprise, AZ, sister Linda Butler, Cottonwood, AZ, daughter-in-law Tami Butler, Surprise, AZ, and step-daughters MarJane (Rick) Glazebrook, Edgewood, NM and Jennifer (Chris) Anderson-Tuttle, Waconia, MN. He is survived by eleven grandchildren: Jason (Rose) Heil, Surprise, AZ, Roby (Jen) Heil, Fruita, CO, Kendra Heil, Albuquerque, NM, Tarah (Jared) Scrafano, Phoenix, AZ, Brandon Butler, Flagstaff, AZ, Exa Lujan, Zac and Jessica (Ray) Glazebrook, Albuquerque, NM and Jared, Mason and Andra Tuttle, Waconia, MN. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Jacob, Cabrina, Abby, Jadyn, Andrew, Dominique, Alex and Sonny and brother-in-law Bill (LaNette) Gray, Artesia, NM and sisters-in-law Terry Jane Ritchie, Ruidoso, NM and Exa Beth (Kenneth) Cunningham, Devol, OK. Services will be held at Covenant United Methodist Church, 8510 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM on Saturday at 4:00. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Memorials to Covenant UMC at 8510 Wyoming Blvd. NE or the Animal Humane Society at 615 Virginia St. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. We wish to thank UNM Cancer Center and Dr. Ira Rabinowitz as well as Presbyterian Hospice for the care given to Gene and his family. Gene's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 7601 Wyoming Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 821-0010