Donald Butler

Butler, Donald Gene
passed gently surrounded by his daughters' weak singing, refined gratitude, new sorrow, and love on April 19, 2018. Don was born in Anthon, Iowa, on November 14, 1930. He was united in marriage to Nancy Jane Nickolisen in Smithland, Iowa on June 20, 1951. Preceded in death by sister Gwendolyn; father, William Butler; step-father, Donald A. Jessen; mother, Bernice Jessen; grandson, William B. Schroeder; and wife of sixty-five years, Nancy. Survived by daughters Melanie (Randy) Schroeder; Melissa (Richard) Severance; Monica Perme; grandchildren Andrea (Erik) Stanton, Grant, Anna, and Jack Perme; other relatives, neighbors, and friends. Don was a graduate (1951) of the now renamed School of Forestry at the University of Minnesota. In the first six years of their marriage, Don and Nancy moved eighteen times all over the country. They built their Lake Demontreville home (mostly on the weekends) in 1957 where they stayed for fifty-nine years. Don held several jobs including serving as a lieutenant on an Air Force construction squadron, working as a locksmith, and a traveling salesman. Don worked for several lumber companies including Lampland Lumber Company, where he met Frank Villaume in the 1960s. In 1975 Don and Frank became co-owners of Gibbs Lumber Company in Minneapolis. In 1980 Don became the sole owner, and Gibbs relocated to Lake Elmo, where his wife Nancy joined him in running the company. He found such a home in Lake Elmo that he made his girls promise, on his death bed, that they would continue to patronize the Twin Point, Gormans, and the Lake Elmo Inn. The earth shifted Thursday when Don passed. Don loved especially mysteries of nature, including people. He was curious, ambitious, generous, and funny. He loved trees: growing and planted by man or nature; harvested as paneling, flooring, framing materials, or plywood; carved, doweled, planed, chiseled, or sanded into statues or rulers. Woodworker, orator, philosopher, lumberman, story teller, comedian: his best gift was getting people to love him. We all did. Memorials preferred to the University of Minnesota CFANS Donan Scholarship. Service to be held in Smithland, Iowa later this year.