Donna Deane (Butterworth) Gebler

Our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, cousin and friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, surrounded by family and is now reunited with her late husband, Charles J. Gebler.

Although her last days on earth required her to endure the ill effects of heart failure and cancer, she will be remembered for her long faithful life. She valued family (both present and past via genealogy work), light (both spiritual and natural), reading books (one a week), music, nature, temple work and her conviction of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Donna was born on July 3, 1933, to John Donald Butterworth and Deane Halladay Horne in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was told that her birth date could have been July 4, but was a July 3 baby because the doctor did not want to do the cesarean section on a holiday. Ironically her birthdays were often celebrated on the Fourth.

Donna grew up in Mill Creek/Sugarhouse. She graduated from Granite High School where she developed a love of reading, writing and playing the violin. She graduated cum laude from the University of Utah with a BS degree in Child Development. Following graduation, she ventured East to Arlington, Virginia, where she worked as an executive secretary to Bill Marriott, Jr. It was while living in the Washington DC area where she met, fell in love, and married the one and only love of her life.

Charles and Donna were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on June 14,1957. Little did she know at the time, her future would include raising five children, moving, and living in multiple National Parks throughout the nation where Charles had a blooming career with the National Park Service; and that sadly his life would be cut short in 1984 leaving her a widow at the age of 51.

Following her husband's passing, Donna settled back in Utah, where she owned homes in the Salt Lake Avenues, Sandy and finally South Jordan, Daybreak Garden Park.

In 1988 Donna graduated once again from the University of Utah, this time with a master’s in social work. She fulfilled an internship at the U of U Women’s Resource Center and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her career included being the first Director of the Family Shelter with Travelers’ Aid- assisting the homeless of Salt Lake City and then the first Director of the Women and Children’s Program at Odyssey House, a drug treatment facility.

Donna continued to highlight her life when she served a church mission to teach English in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City 1996-1998. Many of the friendships she gained in Ho Chi Minh City remained in close contact with her throughout her remaining years.

Temple service was of the utmost importance. Donna served as an ordinance worker 2 days a week in the Jordan River, Draper and Oquirrh Mountain temples respectively for many years.

In the Daybreak Garden Park community, she developed many new friendships who enjoyed taking walks, playing cards and be involved in community clubs. She headed up “Dames” a group of single senior ladies who had a passion to better their community and each other.

She loved her posterity dearly and cherished phone calls and visits. In her journal she wrote for all to read: “the love I have for you is deeper than the ocean and more expansive than all the stars in the heavens.”

She was preceded in death by her parents John Donald Butterworth and Deane Halladay Horne, husband Charles John Gebler and sister Carolyn Butterworth Summers.

She is survived by her five children John C Gebler (Cynthia) Rebecca G Bartholomew (Glenn) Rachel S Greenberg (the late Glenn), Naomi A Leany (Eldean) and Charles D Gebler. Fifteen grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Brother Jay Donald Butterworth and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. All esteemed and loved her and will greatly miss her.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where family and friends can visit from 6 to 8pm. 4484 Willoughby Dr South Jordan UT 84009

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 25 at 1 pm at The Shrine of Ages and interred next to her late husband at the Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery, Grand Canyon South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.