This page was important for me to do. It is also the one that has taken the longest, for there is so much that must go into it concerning very special and dear people to me. I wanted to make it special for them.

First, there is my husband, Bob Butler, which I have mentioned on other pages, but I have not gone into our life together as a couple.  He was my strength, and my only love.  

We were married from October 8, 1960 until his untimely death January 1, 1994.  He was 54 years of age at his death, and had spent 21 years in the military, (Navy as well as the Army), serving our country.  He retired from the Army on September 30, 1976. 

We raised three children traveling throughout the United States.  He, as well as I, taught the children respect, love and honor.  When he was on hardship tours, in Vietnam twice, in Korea and on his many TDY assignments, I had to be both father and mother, but I loved it; I knew when he returned he could take over his job again and know, without a doubt, I did the best I could while he was away.  I think the kids knew by instinct that I had the soul responsiblity for them at these times, because they gave me very little trouble.

Here are a few pictures of our family.  I hope you enjoy them, and I will try not to bore you.

Bob, age apprx. 7 months of age.   Taken 1940.	Made in Huntsville, AL, 1959		Made the day of our first date; he washed the car in the rain!  He wanted to make a good impression, huh? 1959
	Married October 8, 1960, in Oxford, Calhoun Cnty, AL	Left to right:  Dee, Dana, Robert	All three were born at Ft. McClellan, Alabama.
Bob and I, our wedding day, 1960.		Our three little ones. Made at Ft. Bliss, TX, 1966.

We now have 12 grandchildren and so far, 2 great-grandchildren.   Bob never got to see any of our grandchildren marry, but our three oldest grandaughters are now married.  Two of them have daughters of their own now.

Bob was born 8 June, 1939, in Albertville, Marshall County, AL.  He passed away on 1 January, 1994, at home in Anniston, Calhoun County, AL.  He is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in the "Garden of Valor" in Anniston, Calhoun County, AL.                

"Rest in peace, my love!"

                                                             P - Planning for our futures.
                                                              A – For looking like an angel just at the right time.
                                                             R – For the rules they put down for us.
                                                             E – For every hug and kiss they gave us.
                                                             N –For never turning there backs on us.
                                                              T – For the tears they shed, happy and sad.
                                                              S – For the smiles that could cure it all.

           By: Mary Walker-Butler
                 Copyright: May 1999

My next wonderful angels are my Mom and Dad, Lawrence and Elizabeth  Walker.  No child could have asked for better, more understanding and loving parents.  I feel so fortunate to have had such parents.  They had three boys and myself, the only girl.   They were our protectors, our first teachers, our Santa Claus, and Easter Bunny;  they were our doctors, story tellers, councelors, and Tooth  Fairies. 

Dad served 23 years in the Army.  During that time he fought in WWII and the Korean war.  He was a proud American and loved the military, (the "old military", when it made men out of boys the hard way).  He retired in February, 1956.    He worked until the young age of 71 years. 

Of course, while Dad was away, Mom kept the home-fires burning.  She was always there for us.   She was a stern disciplinarian, and she had to be, with four children to raise, at times on her own.  She was also a loving mother.  She could be soft, warm, and understanding in one moment and a strong willed lady to reckon with in the next, (if you did something to cause her to be angry, that is.)  <grin>  We all loved her dearly, as we did our Dad.

Lawrence Daniel was born on 22 September, 1910, in Vanndale, Cross County, AR.  He passed away on 1 September, 1982, at Noble Army Hospital, Ft. McClellan, Calhoun county, AL. 

Mary Elizabeth was born on 28 May, 1923, in Jacksonville, Calhoun County, AL.  She passed away on 25 May, 1995 in Jackson Hospital, Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL. 

They are both buried at Ft. McClellan, Calhoun County, AL.

Beth Walker, photo made in Japan, 1950.	Lawrence Walker, made during WWII.	Dad as hospital Supply Sgt. in Japan, 1949 or 1950.	Mom, Ft. McClellan, AL, 1958.  Bowling team picture.
"All I want for Christmas........."		Mom & Dad loved the holidays. As you can tell, he still liked sitting on Santa's knee.   Mom loved the decorating.

My next angel for this page, is my wonderful father-in-law, JT Butler.  He was a good man, and loved life.  He spent 29 years in the Army. He, too, fought wars in Germany, France, and Korea.  JT retired in March, 1967, at  Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

He married Gladys Brooxie Dean, and together they raised a family of three boys and one girl. They met in Albertville, AL.  Gladys is still living and will celebrate her 86th birthday on November 1, 2000.

JT is his real name.  As he used to say, "J-no period, T-no period".  He had a hard time convincing the Army that was his real, full name.  Even with a birth-certificate they questioned it. <grin> 

JT loved to farm, so after retirement from the military, he bought several acres of land.  He had his home built on a beautiful little knoll, got a full time job with the Civil Service at the Army Depot, and began farming his land.  When Bob was sent overseas to Korea and his first tour in Vietnam, the children and I would go spend some weekends with his parents to help them out. I can still see Dad Butler coming in from a day on the tractor, pulling his old work boots off and then getting ready to go to work at the depot for 8 - 10 hours, until around midnight. Then he would come home, eat some supper, go to bed only to start over again the next morning.  But he loved it!!  He believed in hard work to get what you wanted out of life.

JT was seriously hurt in an automile accident when he was hit by an eighteen wheeler.  This happened in 1970, he was never the same afterwards and was 100% disabled.  This sweet man died in the hospital from cancer and complications caused by the wreck.  His body was not strong enough to fight his dreaded disease.

JT was born on February 27, 1914, in Albertville, Marshall County, AL.  He passed away on June 4, 1974, at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL. 

He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Anniston, Calhoun County, AL.

JT in Germany, 1965		Earlier years in the Army		JT celebrating his 51st birthday in Germany.  1965

	Married: November 21, 1930
Gladys and JT shortly after their marriage.

More of Heaven's Angels that are sorely missed:

Kara William Bowden	Viola "Ola" Isbell Bowden	Irene White Aderholt	Clera Cheatwood Aderholt
Nellie Mae Johnson Rooks	Lovella Williamson Shaver	Margaret Bock	Gladus William Shaver

There are so many more I could list, but not enough time nor space.  They know who they are and that we still love and miss them very much.

I do hope you enjoyed visiting here.  This page was a joy to do, because it brought back a lot of memories as I was working on it.  Please come back again, I plan on adding other pictures later.

Before you go will you please sign my guestbook?  Visit my other pages  if you would like.  Just click on "Home" to go to the links for my other personal pages.

MIDI: