James Lee Butler, 90, went to be with his Lord and Savior on January 6, 2018 at Maple Court in Tifton. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 9, 2018, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with the Rev. John Hughes officiating. Mr. Butler will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, January 9, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Mr. Butler’s grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Adult Two Sunday School Department of Tifton’s First Baptist Church, the Staff and early morning exercisers of Tifton Fitness and Wellness Center and deacons of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Dr. Butler was born January 8, 1927 in Sevierville, Tennessee to the late James Lawson and Dora Fox Butler. He was also preceded in death by one son; a daughter-in-law; a grandson; two brothers and three sisters.
He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II, and graduated from the University of Tennessee. He got his PhD from Michigan State University in 1958. He married Jane Hollis Butler on November 20, 1948 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and they celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in 2017.
Dr. Butler moved to Tifton in 1960, where he was an Agricultural Engineer with USDA, heading up the Southern Agricultural Energy Center until his retirement in 1989. He continued to work as a consultant until 1997, as well as serving his community through his church, Kiwanis Club, volunteering at the Agrirama, Meals on Wheels, and other organizations.
He travelled extensively during his career and afterwards, but he said no place on earth was as beautiful as his native Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Dr. Butler has known God since the age of eleven. He was a Methodist until he met what he described as a beautiful woman who became a wonderful wife. He took joy in his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and his relationship with his Heavenly Father. He celebrated a wonderful life, and felt that God had blessed him.
He is survived by his wife, Jane Butler of Tifton; two daughters Kathy Murray (Eddie) of Moultrie and Nancy Dailey (Bob) of Dalton; one son, Ben Butler of Georgetown, Texas; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church of Tifton Memorial Fund, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794; Meals on Wheels, 107 West 12th Street, Tifton, GA 31794; or a charity of choice.