Richard ‘Dick’ Butler

Richard “Dick” Butler, 84, of Vandalia died Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 at University of Missouri Hospital-Columbia.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held 10 a.m., Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vandalia with the Rev. Jason T. Doke S.T.L. officiating. Burial was at 1 p.m., Monday at St. Clement Cemetery with Military Honors.

Visitation was from 3-5 p.m., Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vandalia.

Richard was born Aug. 11, 1933 in Middletown the son of Floyd and Alta Marie Keithley Butler. On June 2, 1954 at St. Clement Catholic Church he married Evelyn Rose Scherder. She survives.

Other survivors include sons, Lawrence Butler and wife, Sandy of Columbia, Mark Butler and wife, Diana of Vandalia, Monte Butler of Troy; a daughter, Carol Besselsen and husband, David of Tucson, Ariz.; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mary Brewster, Sue Messmer, Helen Todd, Dorothy Hinkle.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Clarence, John and Keith Butler and sister, Martha Delozier.

Richard lived in Bowling Green then moved to Vandalia in 1962 when he started working at Harbison-Walker Refractories and later retired from the brickplant in the late 1970’s.

He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vandalia and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany for one year. Richard was a member of the Knights of Columbus, was Commander of the VFW Post #2173 in Vandalia and enjoyed fishing and hunting in his early years, and family barbeques.

Memorials may be made to the MO Veterans Home in Mexico.