JAMES LAING BUTLER

Oct. 5, 1949 - May 29, 2008

Jim Butler died of complications from pancreatic cancer May 29, 2008, at his home in Washington Court House, Ohio, at age 58.

Looking at the tribute page to Jim, I remembered what a great sense of humor he had. . . and thinking a bit more abut him. . . I remember other qualities that one might only apprecaite in retrospect.

At the time, in the summer of 1965, Jim was the lifeguard at the Eastgate Swim Club, and thereby inherited the job of coaching our not-so-very-talented swim team. I couldn't swim anything but backstroke, since my racing dive left so much to be desired. But Jim made me feel like an Olympian. Being on that team was the one and only time in my life that I particpated in a competitive sport.

Jim was my classmate and my peer--but during swimming practice in that little neighborhood pool, he might as well have been Michael Phelps' coach. I still recall Jim yelling, "Janice has the spirit." And if I didn't before--I did indeed have the spirit after I heard him cheer me on. He was a good guy, Jim Butler. I will remember him fondly. May he rest in peace. - Janice (Bugos) Valverde

Jim Butler and I became good friends our senior year, and he and Marci double dated several times with Georgia and I.

Jim and I had one really fun experience together and that was the comic interlude for the "Girls" Aqua show. There were different breaks in their program and Jim and I did little humorous (silly) jokes and skits to entertain the audience.

Our picture for this (right) appeared in the yearbook. It may have been not great, but Jim and I had fun and became better friends thereafter. - Jay Lehman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a grade schooler, Jim kept a spiral notebook that he filled with drawings of rocket ships, boats, and airplanes. Wish I had some of those pages. I never knew if he kept it up during high school.

In the sixth grade, Mrs. Shutes allowed Jim Butler and John Sattler to start a science club. Jim was the President. I even have my membership card which he signed!

Don't know how many people remember that Mr. V allowed Jim to keep a monkey in the rat room. God, what a mess that creature made! Not sure what experiment he was working on but since 2 monkeys died, I'm not sure that the experiment was a success!

He was a terrific guy! -Peggy Harcarik Freeman.

 

 

I have read Jim Butler's obit and our classmates comments. It all brought back many memories.

As an addendum to Peggy's monkey remembrances, Phil and Jim and I were close friends, and spent many weekends together as founding members of the Monroeville Rocket Research Society. Under the auspices of the Biology Club and Mr. V, the three monkeys were purchased by the biology club, the plan being to launch one or more of them in a rocket which was designed and constructed by Phil. Unfortunately, two of the monkeys died within weeks of their arrival at Gateway.

We decided to send a white mouse up instead, on a trial run. Catastrophy! The ejection charge on the payload capsule melted the plastic parachute during descent. The mouse was interred with full honors.

I don't recall exactly what happened to the third monkey, but I can state categorically that it never became an astronaut!

Jim was a great fellow and a good friend. I remember well the class reunion he attended, coming all the way from Hawaii. He is truly missed! - Tim Billings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment or share information about Jim online on our class blog at: http://gatewayclassof67.blogspot.com/2008/08/jim-butler-1949-2008.html; e-mail information to: Alana.Miltak.Baranick@gmail.com; or send regular mail to: Alana Miltak Baranick, 6603 Northcliff Ave., Brooklyn, OH 44144.