James Albert Butler was born on May 19th, 1931, in Woodbine, New Jersey to Frank J. Butler and Jennie Tamminen. Jim (as he was known to friends and family) passed away in his home in Hollywood, Maryland on the morning of March 17th, 2022. He was 90 years old.
Jim received his high school education in New Jersey and was known to be quite the troublemaker by his teachers and the staff. Once he graduated, he held a few odd jobs before joining the United States Navy. Jim was in the Navy from 1951 to 1954 where he served in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged after 3 ½ years of service. After leaving the Navy, Jim became an owner/operator and salesman at Tastykake Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he worked for over 40 years.
Jim met the love of his life, Harriet Clare Lukens (Clare) in 1961 and they were married in Philadelphia, PA on September 14th, 1963. They went on to have three children: Judith, Tracy, and Steven. They lived together in Yardville, New Jersey until the kids were old enough to move out. Jim and Clare then moved to Little River, South Carolina, where they lived in retirement for 22 years before moving in with their daughter, Judith, and her family in Hollywood, Maryland. Jim lived in Maryland from 2018 until his passing.
Jim was an active member of many organizations throughout his life. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Freemasons, Gothic-Fraternal Lodge #270 in Hamilton, New Jersey for over 50 years. In New Jersey he was also a member of the Edgewater Park Elks Lodge #2550 (Beverly) and Tall Cedars of Lebanon #4 (Trenton). Jim spent much of his free time hunting and fishing and was a member of multiple hunting and fishing clubs. When he moved to Little River, South Carolina he became a member of the American Legion Post 186 for 7 years and was involved with the Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church. He also spent many nice days out on the golf course.
He is survived by a loving family: his wife Clare, his three children and their spouses (Judy and Rob Kowalik, Tracy and Larry Toth, and Steven and Liz Butler), 9 grandchildren (Amanda, Matthew, Samantha, Kristina, Nicholas, Alyssa, Jackson, Gavin, and Shane), his sister Ethel Dean, and many other extended family members. He is preceded in death by his brothers Robert, Edward, Roger, Lewis, and David. He was known to the family for being fiercely protective of the ones he loved, being kind and caring, and having a wonderful sense of humor.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA 02241-7005. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held in early summer.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
