Roland John Buteyn

Roland married Kay Vaughan, a Denver native, in 1952, and they and many of their descendants have lived in Denver since 1967. Kay preceded him in death in 1996.

Roland was born July 12, 1929 in Alto, Wisconsin, the middle child of seven children of the late John and Dena (Kamphuis) Buteyn. They were farmers in the Alto and Waupun areas of Wisconsin. Growing up in difficult economic times, they learned to value the really important things in life, such as faith, family and service to others; values that would define Roland’s life.

Roland was the first of his siblings to attend college, graduating from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1951. During a brief leave from the army in early 1952, he and Kay were married. Following his two-year army duty, Roland entered his chosen career as a Christian school teacher and administrator. They settled in Terra Ceia, North Carolina until 1958, at which point they returned to Roland’s hometown in Waupun, and then eventually relocated to Denver in 1967. In 1980 Roland retired from teaching at Denver Christian Schools to devote himself to work that was specifically focused on assisting those in need, working with Brothers Redevelopment while also caring for Kay, whose health was failing during this time. At age 67, in “retirement”, and continuing for the rest of his life, Roland gave himself to many volunteer and disaster relief efforts in Denver, throughout the US, and in Canada.

Roland has been a devoted member of First Christian Reformed Church of Denver since 1967, serving that congregation faithfully in many capacities.

Roland is survived by four children, 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. His immediate family currently totals over 60 people. His wife Kay, daughter Cheryl, and grandson Derek preceded him to glory. Roland is also survived by his two sisters, Florence Kastein of Waupun, WI, Joyce Schripsema and her husband Gene of Albuquerque, NM; and two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Buteyn of Eden Prairie, MN and Joyce Buteyn of Uxbridge, MA. Roland’s four brothers, Clayton, Gerald, Adrian and Donald, also preceded him in death.

Visiting hours will be Friday, November 24 from 5 to 8 PM at Olinger Hampden Mortuary at 8600 E Hampden Avenue in Denver.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 25 at 1 PM at First Christian Reformed Church at 1814 S Emerson Street in Denver.

Memorial donations may be made to Denver Christian Schools, to World Renew -Disaster Response Services, or to another organization that you may know was special to Roland.