Ella Mae Butts

Ella Mae was born September 28, 1931, on the family farm near Bennett, Colorado, to Cyrus and Ella May (Neuschwanger) Peterson. She was the youngest of her seven siblings. As a child, she enjoyed riding bareback on a gentle horse named Nell and pretending that dandelion flowers were her little pet chicks. In high school, Ella Mae played the drums in the band.

After graduating, Ella Mae moved to Denver where she worked as the bookkeeper for the Meininger Art Supply store on 16th Street, and met her future husband Jim Butts, who was in the Army and stationed at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. They enjoyed square dancing at the USO.

Ella Mae was active in her children’s lives. She taught Sunday school, and lead Girl Scout and Cub Scout groups, and served as treasurer for the PTA. She frequently welcomed the neighborhood kids to join in to decorate holiday cookies and color Easter eggs. She sewed over 100 lap robes and donated them to Silver Key. During COVID, she made and donated masks using fancy old handkerchiefs.

Later Ella Mae was known for her painted rocks which she presented to just about everyone who she encountered. The latest volunteer activity she enjoyed to was rocking babies in the infant rooms at Early Connections Learning Centers. She loved snuggling with them and singing them to sleep.

Ella Mae is survived by her husband of 67 years, James; her children Janet (Ed) Knox, Jack (Amy Horne) Butts, and Janell (Mark) Wisehart; her grandson John; as well as many nieces, nephews.

Ella Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Cyrus and Ella May Peterson; and her brothers Loyal, Orville, James, Elvin, and Cleo; and sisters Geneva Hoover, and Ester Krout.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, September 19, 2025, at 1:00 pm at MacKenzie Place, 1605 Elm Creek View, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

Ella Mae will rest peacefully next to her parents and brother, Orville, at Mount View Cemetery, Bennett, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ella Mae’s name to Early Connections Learning Centers (www.earlyconnections.org).