— submitted from the family via Tom Tillman —
Have you ever noticed a person who seems interested in you, not for a particular reason or because they want something from you, but genuinely interested in you and who you are.They want to help you simply because to them, it seems the right thing to do. Perhaps they might to talk to you about a problem you might be struggling with, and guide you towards some possible options or resolutions. Or, maybe they might seem to sense you are just a little lonely, and might want to talk to another person who will listen and be sincerely concerned with what you have to say.
He might show up at your doorstep, wanting to fix your toilet leak, or that annoying noise your “whatchamacallit” is making, often without even charging you anything for his time or the supplies.
If you met Mike Butler, you undoubtedly recognize he was just that sort of person.
A bear of a man, Mike did not look the type you necessarily wanted as a neighbor – or even as a friend. With a full “scraggly” beard and a seemingly endless number of hats that he and his friends could laugh about and even wear, Mike cut a path that others just felt inclined to follow, because they sensed his good, old fashioned desire to be wherever you might need him. He readily shared his zeal for his beliefs. He was a deeply religious man. Many islanders’ lives were touched by Mike.
Mike was born to loving parents; his mother, a New Zealand war bride, his father a dedicated career Army Captain. He was an Army brat as the young family followed the assigned Army posts.
When his father retired, the family settled in southern California. Mike was well accustomed to being an athlete as well. Voted MVP for Cross Country Track, he graduated from Fullerton Union High School in the early 1960s, and went on to attend California State University, Fullerton, majoring in English.
He was drafted into the United States Army at the age of 20, finished Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training in Infantry, and then something very unusual happened: Mike’s attitude and attention to detail was noted and he was trained and served as a Drill Instructor for new recruits. After serving briefly in that capacity he was assigned overseas to Hohenfels, Germany in 1967 and became a News Writer/Reporter and was often published in Stars and Stripes News. He served as the Base Commanders Public Information and Media Officer and photographer as well.
When Mike’s time in the Army was complete, his civilian life was quite different from the military life he had been used to. He became a Music Roadie for several rock bands, including the Beach Boys and Birtha, an all girl rock band his sister was a member of. Soon he was settled in Orange County, California and was employed as a Machine Shop Maintenance employee, and later as an Electrician at Biola College.
He found his way to Orcas Island and felt he had found his lifetime home. He was the “Go-To” guy for home and business repair, a multi talented handyman, locksmith and Property Manager. He was the “go to guy” for Cherie Lindholm Real Estate for over two decades. He assisted as a Volunteer Medic for the community. He was also a talented recycled-artist, and his legacy can be seen today in the many unique signs on Orcas Island. On June 28, 2014, Mike succumbed to health issues that were terminal.
He is survived by five siblings: brother Chris Butler of Orcas Island, sisters Rosemary Butler of Sherman Oaks, Elizabeth Petersen of Whittier, Virginia Butler of Lake Forest and Barbara and Jim Bratton of Hesperia, California. He is interred at Olga Doe Bay Cemetery in Olga, Washington on Orcas Island.
But what Mike Butler was most known for was his ability to be a visionary, confidante, trusted neighbor and loyal friend. He will be deeply missed by many.
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Thanks Tom. I keep hearing details of Mike’s life I never new. Each and every one is a hint at his complexity and broad open personality.
Thank you Tom for such a lovely description of Mike’s life. Didn’t know him well, but now I feel a bit closer to who he was.
Mike’s religious obsessions sometimes made conversation with him quite difficult. Nevertheless, he always presented his opinions in a non-confrontational, friendly way, and he was always open to discussion. Certainly, I found myself agreeing with his social observations and politics more often than not.
Tom is completely correct, that Mike’s aim in life was to help people, and to be of service. I think that Mike succeeded at that endeavor. Certainly, he was helpful to Jean and me.
I miss seeing him and his truck…and his bumper-stickers.
I’ll not forget him.
Mike helped me with some home projects and was always cheerful when I saw him in town. He was spiritually inspirational will be truly missed.
gb
I’ve had many interesting conversations with Mike over the 15 or so years I’ve known him. He had an unusual set of beliefs about our world and the Universe, which he was always willing to discuss in his mellow, humorous manner. He spent a lot of his free time duplicating a wide variety of hard to find videos, often on what some would consider ‘fringe’ ideas, and distributed them for free to anyone who was interested–a sort of ‘Johnny Appleseed’ of ideas. One might not agree with all his beliefs, but he certainly had the ability to stimulate thoughts that one might not otherwise have had. Orcas just isn’t the same without his presence.
Mike was our next door neighbor for fourteen years. What a great individual! He took care of all of the repairs for our vacation rentals, always with a cheerful attitude and great sense of humor. I will miss him and his interesting views on life. I look forward to seeing him in heaven.
Meg Burkett
Orcas Cottages
Thanks Tom for things about Mike most of us never knew. We do know that we lost a great friend and helper.
I knew Mike back in the early 70’s. He was a good friend and strong influence for good in “my youth”. I am sorry it took a memorial to find out what happened to Mike over the years. thanks for all your comments.
I worked at Island Hardware for seven years, and those years were filled with visits with Mike. He would come in to the store to order something and we’d inevitably wind up yakking about well, everything. Mike was one of those people you could instantly bond with. He was a good man and someone I am proud to have known.