Bernard Lamothe Buteau

Captain Bernard (“Bernie) L. Buteau, USN (Ret.), passed peacefully at home on Oct. 8, 2021. Born Sept. 1, 1928 in Newport, VT to Rudolph and Bessie Buteau, the Captain proudly graduated from the: U.S. Naval Academy (1950), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1955), and the Harvard Business School (1969). His distinguished 24 years of active military service earned him the: Meritorious Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with one star, Korean Campaign Medal with two stars, US Service Medal and Korean Presidential Unit Citation. Because of his outstanding Philadelphia Naval Shipyard service, he was awarded a second Meritorious Service medal in 1974.

In addition to managing the Production Department at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, the Captain served on/at the: USS Endicott; USS Merganser; Long Beach Naval Shipyard (CA); Office of Asst. Dir. for Naval Reactors/Atomic Energy Commission (Washington, DC); Pittsburgh Naval Reactor Operations Office (Quincy, MA); Schenectady Naval Reactor Office (Schenectady, NY) and Asst. Sec. of the Navy (Washington, DC).

From 1974-1987, Bernie pioneered nuclear operations at NUS Corp.; he rose to Vice President/General Manager of Operating Services in 1981. His leadership included a 1976-78 post as the Project Manager for the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant project, the first nuclear power plant in (the then) Yugoslavia.

Bernie became a volunteer at Hospice Caring (now CaringMatters) in 1991; by 1992 he was President of the Board of Directors (six years). In 1999, the State of Maryland recognized him for his many hospice community accomplishments.

Bernie and June (who passed in 2009) were married 57 years. They are survived by: Michelle, his daughter; Brandon, his son; 3 grandchildren, Damon, Devon and Trevor; and 1 great-grandchild, Beverley.

Friends and family are invited to share memories from 3:30-7:30 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 20 at Joseph Gawler’s Funeral Home in Washington, DC.