Thomas Frances Butler

Last week was a very long week.  Todd's brother Tommy passed away last Sunday, October 6, 2013.   He had terminal lung cancer, so we knew it would happen, but how it appended was sudden.  He had had surgery for a perforated bowel at the VA and was recovering.  But one of the lesions in his brain suddenly burst very early Sunday morning.  His kids Brandon and Jennifer, along with Todd, Todd's brother Charlie and Todd's stepmother Kathy stayed the day until he was gone.

His kids are heartbroken.  Until recently, Jennifer had lived with him in a house next to his ex- wife, their mom, both owned by Charlie.  He had diabetes.  He was only 61.  When Todd was younger, they were pretty close.   He worked for Todd on and off until about six years ago.  He spent a lot of time with Charlie, hanging out and doing work for him on his rental properties and trailer park.  He was a Viet Nam veteran, having served as a mechanic in the Air Force at the tail end of the war, not really seeing the conflict.  His favorite song was Free Bird, he was some what of a lone wolf, a description I heard from more than one family member.  Tommy did not want a lingering and painful death and God granted him that.

Calling hours on Friday and a funeral and burial graveside Saturday morning.  Taps and the presenting of the flag do it every time., there wasn't a dry eye as the flag was presented  He was buried in Peck's cemetery, the same place as Todd's parents, though not n the Butler family plot...he picked his own spot.  He had just spent a couple of weeks in California with Brandon and had planned to go back there for his last few months.  They had fun seeing the sights and going to a NFL game.  The pictures in the memorial slide show showed Tommy having fun, someone who squally hid from the camera.

The week brought family, including his two sisters Bonnie and Becky and her husband Paul, who stayed upstairs through Friday.  They left that night and then Terry, another brother, stayed up there the weekend.
He was diagnosed about a year ago and last Christmas at the family party home made a huge effort to talk to me, though I was afraid to spend too much time with him as was going through chemo and I had the flu.  I could sense a man who planned on fighting and a man who wanted to make an effort with the people in his life so as not to have regrets.  That said a lot to me... He had cancer and reflected on his relationships....he cared about his family.  This big giant Butler clan. Rest in peace Thomas Frances Butler.