CAPTAIN FRANK BUTLER, 85, PASSED AWAY 0N SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 AT FALMOUTH HOSPITAL. HE WAS THE HUSBAND OF JANET (SHAY) BUTLER FOR 41 YEARS.
BORN IN BOSTON TO THE LATE FRANCIS & M. DOROTHY BUTLER, FRANK WAS A RESIDENT OF BOURNE. PATRICIA (KENNEY), HIS FIRST WIFE, PREDECEASED FRANK. HE WAS BROTHER TO DOROTHY BOUCHARD AND LAWRENCE. FRANK WAS THE FATHER OF SUSANNE WILLEY, CAROL GRANT, FRANKIE, TINA ARRUDA, CHRIS, KATHY AND ERIC. HE IS KNOWN AFFECTIONATELY AS “POP” TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN MEGAN, DYLAN, ERIC, NICOLE AND CASEY.
BEING A GRADUATE OF ST. MARY’S H.S. IN LYNN, HE WENT ON TO RECEIVE A B.S. FROM MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY AND A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN METEOROLOGY AT USN POST GRADUATE SCHOOL, MONTEREY.
FRANK SERVED IN THE NAVY ATTAINING THE RANK OF LT. COMMANDER. HE WAS RECOGNIZED WITH THE ANTARCTICA SERVICE MEDAL, ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM RIBBON, AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL.
HE SERVED, AMONG OTHERS, TWO 9-MONTH TOURS IN THE ANTARCTIC. LATER HE SPENT TIME AS A NAVIGATOR ON THE WILLY VICTOR AIRCRAFT WORKING RECONNAISSANCE IN VIETNAM. HIS LAST MISSIONS FOR THE NAVY WERE AS A CIVILIAN ON T-AGOS SHIPS.
FRANK TAUGHT CLASSES AT MMA IN THE 70S, BUT THE CALL OF THE SEA TOOK HIM BACK TO THE SHIPS. HE RECEIVED HIS CAPTAIN’S PAPERS AND WORKED ON OIL TANKERS AND FREIGHTERS, CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE WORLD THREE TIMES. HIS LAST MISSIONS AS CAPTAIN WERE WITH THE T-AGOS SHIPS SURVEYING RUSSIAN SUBS.
UPON RETIREMENT FRANK JOINED THE US COAST GUARD AUXILLARY. HE LOVED BOATING AND FISHING. MOST OF ALL, FRANK LOVED HIS FAMILY AND HIS DOG EBBY. HE ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO COFFEE WITH HIS VETERAN FRIENDS BOB, CHUCK AND REX.
THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CARING NURSES AT THE ROYAL NURSING HOME AND FALMOUTH HOSPITAL.
FRANK’S VISITATION WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 22ND 9:30-11:30AM AT NICKERSON-BOURNE FUNERAL HOME, 40 MACARTHUR BLVD, BOURNE. RELATIVES AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED. BURIAL IS PRIVATE. CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE IN FRANK’S NAME TO: MASS MARITIME MMA 7TH COMPANY, 101 ACADEMY DR, BUZZARDS BAY, MA 02532; OR THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, PO BOX 96011, WASHINGTON DC 20090. TO LEAVE A NOTE OF CONDOLENCE: WWW.NICKERSONBOURNE.COM
