Donna Mae (Robertson) Butler, 84, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2020 at her residence in Ames, IA. A private family funeral service will be held at Collegiate United Methodist with burial following at McCallsburg Cemetery.
Donna was born to Charles and Edythe Robertson in Hubbard, IA on January 18, 1936 in the middle of a blizzard. She graduated from Hubbard High School and spent her teen years babysitting so she could go roller skating at the Ritland Barn, where she would meet the love of her life, Vincent Gail Butler. They began dating at age 14 and married a month past her 18th birthday. They had four children, Craig, Chris, Cyndi, and Connie.
While raising four children, Donna worked at Ames Hearing Aid Center and then at Iowa State University Fire Services. When she wasn’t working or running kids, Donna enjoyed sewing, cooking, and crafting with her sister-in-law, Phyllis Harshbarger. They were always up to new ideas and would be found at the kitchen table laughing and conjuring up their next project. Donna was a member of the Collegiate United Methodist Church where she was faithfully involved working in the library, assisting with funeral services and making baby blankets and quilts for missionaries.
In 1984, Vince and Donna bought a houseboat at Saylorville Lake. They would spend the next 20 years with all their boating friends, enjoying Saylorville sunsets. There were fishing tales to be told and when grandkids came along, they were constantly looking for the biggest fish in the lake, a.k.a, Walter.
In 2004, the next journey began when they bought a lake house at the Lake of the Ozarks. 15 years where families and friends came together several times a year and made incredible life long memories. Her 6 grandchildren were able to spend a lot of time with their grandma and grandpa, learning all the ways their grandparents fixed things, a.k.a., duct tape and making Grandma’s famous potato salad or brownies. Neither of which made it to the table before they were enjoyed by all.
Donna joined Vinny after 66 years of marriage, where they will continue their love for backwards two-stepping together. Donna is also preceded in death by her parents and son-in-law, Steve Sutter.
Donna is survived by her 4 children: Craig (Becky) Butler of Ames, IA, Chris Butler of Minneapolis, MN, Cyndi Sutter of Overland Park, KS and Connie (Brian) Cook of West Des Moines; 6 grandchildren: Ryan (Kiley) Sutter and daughters Kennedy and Avery, Matthew Sutter, Megan (Devin) Rose, Emily (Tyler) Timmerman, Samantha and Nicolas Cook; and siblings: older brother, Dick; and two sisters, Judy and Charlene.
In lieu of flowers, memorials for Donna Butler can be made to the Israel Hospice House in Ames, IA. Donna’s family invites you to join them via livestream at stevensmemorialchapel.com.
