Alan Rodgers Butler

We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father and grandfather, Alan Rodgers Butler, aged 87, who died peacefully January 8, 2026, after a long illness. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maureen, who died in 1998. He is survived by a daughter, Tracey Butler; a son, Brendan Butler; a daughter-in-law, Lidia Butler; and a grandson, Justin Butler.

Born and raised in Rahway, NJ, Alan joined the U.S. Army as a young adult and traveled extensively both in the US and abroad. He was stationed with his family in the Panama Canal Zone (1974 – 1977) and later as a civilian, in the former West Germany, in Heidelberg, (1982 – 1985). Alan had a gift for languages and he spoke French, German, Italian and Spanish in addition to his native English. He had a lifelong love of learning and he attended summer classes at Cambridge University in the UK for several years from 2017 through 2021. A devout Catholic, Alan had been a member of the St. Francis of Assisi parish in Derwood, Maryland since 1985.

Friends and family are invited to attend Alan’s visitation from 9-11 am Friday, January 30, at DeVol Funeral Home, 10 East Deer Park, in Gaithersburg. A private burial will take place at 12 pm that day at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Wheaton. The family also plans to have a memorial Mass for Alan this spring; details will be forthcoming.

Alan supported several charitable causes through his lifetime. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Kidney Fund: http://www.kidneyfund.org