Dr. John W. Butler, Sr.

Dr. John William Butler, Sr. was born in Brunswick, GA on January 22, 1942. His parents, Majors Carlton Leroy Butler and Sally Mae Cass Butler, were Salvation Army officers who served in many capacities all over the south.

John graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas, TX in 1960 and from Asbury College in Wilmore, KY in 1964 with an education degree in history. After graduating, he was a member of the Singing Ambassadors – a group of 12 singers who toured for 10 weeks in the summer visiting Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines.

In 1965, he received a full academic scholarship for a Master’s degree in the education of the deaf at Clarke School for the Deaf, a division of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. He graduated from there in 1966. He went on to receive a second Master’s in School

Supervision and a PhD scholarship in Instructional Technology for the Deaf.

John met Florence Eleanor Gross, of Toronto, Canada in 1962 and they were married on June 18, 1966. John William, Jr. arrived in August of 1967 and PeriLee Ann in August of 1971.

John held a special education position in the Dallas Independent School District before moving to the Texas Education Agency where he stayed for the next 25 years.

He was instrumental in getting legislation passed that led to the establishment of the Regional Day Schools for the Deaf, making it possible for deaf children to attend school in their own communities. In 2002, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Association of Parents and Teachers of the Deaf.

John was well known for his beautiful singing voice and sang solos and duets with his wife, Florence. Singing was his way of expressing his love of God and he always viewed it as his ministry and his testament.

John was a loving and supportive husband and father who made many sacrifices to be sure that everyone was safe and cared for. His Alzheimer diagnosis stole many happy years from all of us but he never lost his sweet smile or his pleasant demeanor. He is sorely missed but we thank God for giving us this amazing man.