Joel C. Butler

Joel Croxson Butler, 84, of Stuart, Florida, passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Joel was born on March 14, 1940, in Pasadena, California, as one of five children born to Joe Jackson Butler and Althea Croxson Butler.

Joel was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Deborah Butler Pipkin (2003); his step son-in-law, Robert Timmann (2006); and in 2020 by his wife, Nancy Irwin Butler. Joel is survived by his son, Joe Nathan Butler (Jennifer) of Stuart, Florida, who he shared with his first wife, Ann Cloud Butler, and Joe and Jen’s children, Micah Butler, Hannah Butler, and Clara Butler; his stepdaughters, Jenny Leasor (Jason); Luann Justak (John), and Carolyn Timmann; his siblings, Jonathan Milne Butler (Marianne), David Slack Butler, and Rebecca Butler Richardson; four additional grandchildren, Alexis, Charlotte, Shannon, and Morgan; one great-granddaughter, Clara; and seven nieces and nephews, Jorie and Lacey Butler, Sarah Butler, Damon and Lauren Richardson, Adam and Amity Pipkin.

In addition to raising their son, Joel and Ann Cloud Butler adopted two children and fostered 27 children during their marriage, for which Joel was recognized as “Father of the Year” while living in Tequesta, Florida.

Joel attended San Pascual Academy and graduated in 1958 from Glendale Union Academy in Glendale, California. He went on to Walla Walla University in College Place, Washington, and transferred to California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, where he graduated in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Business Administration.

Following college, Joel proudly served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, USNR, UDT-EOD, initially entering the Navy USNR service in 1963 for a term of six years. He then completed U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, Rhode Island, where he was commissioned on April 16, 1964. He trained at numerous U.S. Naval specialty schools and the U.S. Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (1965-1966), to become an EOD Officer with EOD Unit Two. He entered active-duty status on April 17, 1964, and completed additional training and numerous duty assignments around the world, including a lengthy Mediterranean deployment. Joel was stationed afloat on the USS Locator (AGR-6); and on U.S. Naval bases at Charleston, South Carolina; Little Creek, Virginia; and Key West, Florida. Joel was Honorably Discharged from active duty in Key West, Florida, in 1969.

Upon moving to Tequesta in 1970 and then to Stuart, Joel owned and operated Marion Motors on Kanner Highway from 1970 to 1985, where he enjoyed working on German import vehicles, meeting the locals, and swapping stories with everyone who stopped by. He maintained those friendships across the years when he worked for dealerships in Palm Beach, Martin, Indian River, and St. Lucie Counties until his retirement in 2020.

Joel married Nancy Irwin Barton in Jensen Beach, Florida, in 1985, and following a brief residency in Chula Vista, California, they returned to Stuart to be closer to their families for the remainder of their lives.

During his life and in retirement, Joel thoroughly enjoyed fishing, diving, golf, snorkeling, walking and chatting with his neighbors in the Southwood community, catching up with his Navy and school buddies, and talking about cars. He also enjoyed spending time with friends and family, especially his grandchildren.

A Celebration of Joel’s Life will be held at 2:00p.m. on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Christ Fellowship Church, 10205 Pratt Whitney Rd., Stuart, FL 34997. A private interment will be held at All Saints Cemetery in Jensen Beach, Florida. Arrangements are under the direction of Aycock Funeral Home Young & Prill Chapel.

For those wishing to make a charitable donation in Joel’s memory, please consider The Ability Tree, P.O. Box 881538, Port St. Lucie, FL 34988 or through https://www.abilitytree.org/ in honor of Joel’s grandson, Micah; or to the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue in West Palm Beach, https://peggyadams.org/.