Walt Butler, 79, a former Halfway resident, died on March 9, 2005, at Yuma, Ariz.
At his request, there will be no service.
Walt LeRoy Butler was born at Wiley City, Wash., on March 21, 1925, to Walt LeRoy Butler Sr. and Annette B. Sams. Walt left high school early, acquiring a GED. He then entered the U.S. Navy and served until 1946.
After the service, Walt went to work for Safeway stores in northern California, a career from which he retired in May of 1975.
In September of 1971, Walt and Elsie Scoggin were married at Carson City, Nev. The couple raised a blended family of seven children, Walter LeRoy Butler III, Christine, Cindy, Nannette, Linda, Donald and Darrell.
In 1976, Walt and Elsie moved to Halfway. Prior to their arrival in Halfway, Walt had been involved with the Ceres Fire Department, so it was a perfect fit for him to volunteer for the Pine Valley Fire Department.
Walt was also active with the Lions Club, American Legion, Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance Service, Elks Lodge, Sheriff’s Posse, and both the Hells Canyon Junior Rodeo and Panhandle Labor Day Rodeo. He was a reserve deputy with the Baker County Sheriff’s Department and served as mayor of Halfway from 1979 to 1981.
Walt loved to umpire the local Little League games. Every summer, he looked forward to helping his nephew, Larry Casebold, at Yakima, Wash., with his cherry and pear orchards.
Walt was always there when something needed to be done, or when others needed encouragement. He always had a joke, a wonderful smile and that little mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Walt loved to fish and to hunt deer and elk. He always had to “have his paper.” He enjoyed keeping up on the events of the Panhandle area. In 1987, Walt and Elsie became winter visitors to Yuma, Ariz. In October of 2002, they became permanent residents of Yuma.
Survivors include his wife, Elsie; son and daughter-in-law, Walter LeRoy Butler III and Patricia of Ceres, Calif.; daughters and sons-in-law, Christine and Glenn Naylor of Yarington, Nev., Cindy and Ed Blomdahl of Modesto, Calif., and Nannette and Lenny Anderson of Tuolumne, Calif.; daughter, Linda Nager of Delhi, Calif.; sons, Donald Scoggin of Ceres, Calif., and Darrell Scoggin of Delhi, Calif.; brother-in-law, Al Benton of Seattle, Wash.; nephews, Larry Casebolt and his wife, Susan, and Jack Zager and his wife, Diane; 15 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
Walt was preceded in death by his parents, three stepsisters and one stepbrother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Baker County Sheriff’s Posse or the Halfway/Oxbow Ambulance Service through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, March 18, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
