Margaret Butler

Margaret Ann Butler, exactly 90 years old, died peacefully at her home in Niles, Michigan on her birthday, Wednesday, April 4, 2018. Her death was unexpected, but of natural causes.

She was born on April 4, 1928 in Bremen, Indiana to Milo C. and Ada Clair (McCraner) Rogers. She attended the former Sumnerville (Michigan) Elementary School, and was graduated from Dowagiac (Michigan) Union High School. She has lived in Sumnerville most of her life, and was employed for more than twenty-five years in the bookbindery of the former Niles plant of Simplicity Pattern Company.

Margaret enjoyed flower gardening, keeping birdfeeders full and watching the wildlife in her yard, and collecting art and figurines which featured frogs. She was always ready to go out – anywhere – but typically to restaurants, to the movies, and especially to go shopping. Her greatest joy was her family.

On April 5, 1947 in Saint Joseph, Michigan she married Jack C. Butler with whom “Margie” celebrated the remarkable sixty-seventh anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on June 8, 2014. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Gladys Strong in 1989, and brother, Paul “PD” Rogers in 2001.

Surviving family includes her children, Linda (& Ralph) Lohraff of Berrien Center, Michigan, Cynthia (& Donald) Nimtz and Rebecca (& Mark) Stoops, both of Niles, Max (& Janet) Butler of Glendale, Arizona, and Gary (& Lisa) Butler of Niles; grandchildren Tim Darnell, Amy Nimtz, Sarah Nimtz, Jenelle Ransom, Courtney Butler, Gregory Butler, Gary A. Butler, and Nichole Butler, Leslie Thompson, Amanda Oswald, Brad Oswald; twenty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Margaret Butler will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 9, 2018 at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles with the Rev. Douglas Adams of Trinity Lutheran Church of Berrien Springs officiating. Committal will follow in Sumnerville Cemetery.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Margaret may be made to the American Heart Association West Michigan Affiliate, 3940 Peninsular Drive SE Suite 180, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546; http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Grand+Rapids/Michigan/Home_UCM_MWA003_AffiliatePage.jsp. Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com