IN MEMORIAM: Mary Butler, 87;
Entrepreneur, Community Leader
ONEONTA – Mary Elizabeth (nee Doty) Butler, 87, who assisted her husband in a number of businesses, including bringing the first Burger King to Oneonta, passed away, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017.
Born July 27, 1929, in Freeport, L.I., she graduated from Freeport High School and attended SUNY Oneonta, where she met the love of her life, William (Bill) B. Butler.
She graduated with a bachelor’s in education and returned to Freeport to teach kindergarten, but kept in constant touch with her then-boyfriend Bill. They married in 1951, were married for 55 years and raised seven children.
Mary was not only a great mother, wife and business partner, she also volunteered in 4-H, teaching many young people how to cook, do a multitude of crafts, grow backyard gardens, and sew, from the basics to very advanced, where they could make their own clothing. For many years, she was a judge at the Otsego County Fair 4-H building.
In addition to Burger King on the city’s East End, Mary assisted her husband in operating the Oneonta Contracting Co. and East End Development Corp. They had many rental properties in Oneonta for students and businesses. They brought A&P grocery stores to Walton and Sidney, and the first mini-storage units to Oneonta, as well as WONT, now WZOZ.
In 1958, she was very proud to be one of the founding “fathers,” along with Marcella Drago, of the Oneonta Nursery School in the Wilber Mansion.
Mary was the first woman to serve on the YMCA board of directors, then as president. Mary and Bill worked very hard with other dedicated Oneonta people to make the YMCA what it has become today.
Upon retirement, Bill and Mary traveled the world extensively. They visited Southern California and fell in love with the desert where they settled in every winter. They made many dear friends whom they kept in constant touch throughout the years.
Surviving Mary is her only brother Jack (Trudy) Doty of Boca Raton, Fla.; sons John (Evelyn Kay) Butler of Oshkosh, Wis. and The Villages in Florida, and Michael (Kelly Ann) Butler of Oneonta; daughters Mary (Joe) Vamosy of Oshkosh, and Patricia (Eric) Shields of Oneonta and Morris; grandchildren Andrew (Aymie) Butler of Schaumburg, Ill., Jacqueline Butler, Ryan (Rebecca Ruhland) Vamosy, all of Oshkosh, Patrick Vamosy, Oak Harbor, Wash., and Aubrey (Tasi Karabinis) Fowler of Queens.
She was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Loretta Doty, husband Bill, sons Michael Patrick and Steve, and daughter Anne.
There will be no calling hours at Mary’s request. A funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oneonta.
In lieu of flowers or cards please think of the Oneonta Firemen, Inc., who serve this community above and beyond in so many ways and were there countless times for our mother. P.O. Box #81 Oneonta, NY 13820. The Oneonta Family YMCA 20 Ford Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820.
A celebration of life will be held at The Parish Plains following the service.
Condolences to the family may be made online by visiting our website: www.grummonsfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are by the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home of Oneonta, NY.