Valeria Jean Butler

The universally characterized, force of nature, Valeria Jean Butler, affectionately and respectfully called “Miss Jean” by many, passed away to her well-deserved heavenly rest on Sunday, November 23rd at 10:31 PM. It was a just reward for a consequential life dedicated to excellence in service as a way of professional, community, familial, and social life. Ever vital and vi-brant, she was dispensing wit, wisdom, joy and encouragement until the very end.

Ms. Butler’s life and work were exemplary of the service tradition into which she was born on September 22, 1931, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was the first of four daughters of Dr. Leo Stanley Butler, a widely admired physician who served South Baton Rouge both medically and civically for more than 50 years, and Estelle Wilhemina Devall Butler, who was also dedicated to furthering the well-being and welfare of the community.

After graduating from Southern University Laboratory School at 15, Ms. Butler went on to graduate Cum Laude from Howard University in Washington, D.C., as had her father. There, she met and married Dr. Valerian Edward Smith, who had completed Dental School at Howard. Valeria and Valerian Smith, had four children: Lynn Smith Whitfield, Kimberleigh Butler-Smith, Valerian Edward Butler-Smith, III and Shawne Devall Langston Emery.

Along with her husband, a West Virginia native who saw the dearth of opportunities for artistic expression among diverse populations in the region, Ms. Butler provided invaluable creative in-put into Dr. Smith’s trailblazing community arts projects. In fact, the first of what became the annual Mother’s Day Concert performed by the newly established Baton Rouge Community Chorus and Playhouse was inspired by the birth of their first child, Lynn that same year.

Like her parents, Ms. Butler was always involved with various initiatives and organizations to uplift others. She was a volunteer driver during the historic Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, the blueprint for the later Montgomery Boycott. Her efforts to advance civil and human rights, because of her belief in the inherent worthiness of others, continued throughout her life.

Ms. Butler fulfilled a promise to her father by, until her death, occupying and preserving the family home on Terrace Avenue. He instilled a commitment to South Baton Rouge. He often said, “I earn my living in South Baton Rouge, I’m going to live in South Baton Rouge.” Until the completion of the Butler Building in 1941, The residence was the location of Dr. Butler’s first medical office. It was also a gathering place for political, civic, entertainment and social leaders locally and nationally, as it continued to be during Ms. Butler’s residency. She was instrumental in the home’s designation as a Historic Landmark.

Ms. Butler was also known for her glamour and impeccable style and was named to National Best Dressed Lists. In the 1960’s, she decided to pursue a career in fashion. Toward that end, she attended Laboratory Institute of Fashion Merchandising in New York City where, upon graduation, she was offered an executive position at Macy’s Herald Square, the flagship Macy’s store in New York.

Not wanting to uproot her children, she returned to Baton Rouge. Her career path took an unexpected turn when she entered the field of housing. For the next thirty years, she had a stead-fast commitment to providing adequate and affordable housing, particularly for the and under-housed and un-housed, elderly, and first-time homebuyers. The culmination of this dedication was as President of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency (LHFA), now Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC). As Vice President and President, she was nationally recognized as one of the first and few experts in tax credit incentivized private/public partnerships with non-profit and for-profit real estate developers.

She initiated and instituted many housing finance programs for affordable housing, which were the first in the nation, including tax exempt bonds to finance affordable housing developments. Because of this, Ms. Butler worked with the IRS and US Congress to develop the legislation for the enactment of tax credit policies and programs. As a tribute to her transformative tenure, the board room at the former LHFA, now LHC building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge, which she painstakingly developed from site selection to the last design detail, is named the V. Jean Butler Board Room.

In her social and civic affiliations, she was a founding (charter) member of the Baton Rouge (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a former member of the NAACP, the Carrousels, Inc., and was one of eighteen mother's instrumentals in establishing the Baton Rouge Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated. A woman of great and enduring faith, she is attached to both the Renew Church, under the leadership of Rev. Miriam McFarland, and the Times of Refreshing Ministries World Outreach Center (The Fresh Church) of her daughter and son-in-law, Pastor Shawne and Bishop Calvin Emery.

Jean was predeceased by her parents, Dr. Leo S. Butler and Estelle Devall Butler; her son, Valerian E. Butler-Smith, III; her sisters, Elayne Butler Bryant and Shirley Butler Pierce; and her niece and nephew, William Carlton Washington, II and Carla Washington Hines.

She leaves to mourn her immeasurable loss and celebrate the gift of her life, her children: Lynn Whitfield, Kimberleigh Butler-Smith, and Shawne Smith Langston Emery (Calvin); grand-children Victoria Holbrooke Langston, Elizabeth Ashland Devall Langston, Martin Andrew Langston; and Grace Victoria Gibson; sister, Hedi Marie Butler; nieces Sherri Bryant Moore, Sharon Bryant Zimmerman; Donna Pierce Lazarkchik, Alicia Williams, and Alyson Azodeh; nephews Dr. D’Orsay D. Bryant, III, Duane D. Pierce, Leighton B. Bryant, and Clifton F. Nel-son, III.; sister-in-law Thelma Smith Williams; and brother-in-law Dr. D’Orsay D. Bryant, Jr.

A service of thanksgiving and celebration of the life and legacy of V. Jean Butler will be held on Sunday, December 7th at Living Faith Christian Center, 6375 Winbourne Avenue, Baton Rouge: 3:00 PM Viewing 4:00 PM Service.