Margaret Ann Butler

Margaret Ann Butler (nee O’Donnell), age 81 of Dayton, Ohio, passed away on Friday, November 27, 2015 at Dayton Hospice in the presence of loved ones following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. Margaret was born on October 2, 1934 in Chicago and after stays in Rock Island, Illinois and Cincinnati, her family moved to Dayton as a young girl and the oldest of seven children. Margaret attended Julienne and St. Joseph Commercial High School and the University of Dayton. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Alexander and Helen O’Donnell and her brother, Lawrence, and is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Jack with whom she created a legacy of a sprawling, loving family. Margaret is also survived by her children Jim (Suzy) of Dayton, Tim (Jackie) of Loveland, Ohio, Mary Williams of Dayton, Terri (Mike)Schurman of Hilliard, Ohio, and Pat (Becky) of Minster, Ohio; nineteen grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren. Margaret is also survived by her sister Helen Roder (Jim, deceased) and brothers Jerry (Carol), Fr. Terry O’Donnell, Mike (Mary Ellen), and Jim (Gayle), and countless nieces and nephews.

Margaret loyally served St. Peter’s Parish in Huber Heights for 27 years as its bookkeeper, where she leaves many close friends and colleagues. She was a longtime devoted member of St. Helen Catholic Church. But her most important job was that of Mother, Grandmother and Great-grandmother, a title she cherished and in which she thrived. Margaret created a loving, Christ-based home where anyone and everyone were welcome and no one ever felt a stranger. Her Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and other family events were legendary for their warmth, laughter and love. Margaret was very proud of the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were the most important people in her life. When you were a friend of Margaret’s you were a friend for life; she met regularly with her Card Club friends from high school who know her as Maggie, and enjoyed reunions with her classmates from St. Joe’s.

Faith and Family were the most important elements of life to Margaret and she lived both of them to her fullest in her daily life. Margaret’s family and friends will miss her dearly, but we all treasure the life lessons she taught us and the place we all have in her heart. We are all better people for the good fortune of having Margaret as our Mom, Grandma and friend.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2015, at St. Helen Catholic Church, 5100 Burkhardt Road with Father David Brinkmoeller as celebrant. The family will receive family and friends at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Thursday. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery. The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the St. Helen Endowment Fund or Carroll High School Scholarship Fund, since Catholic education was so integral to her life and family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at tobiasfuneralhome.com.