Holly W. Butler, 73, Was Active in Island Charities

Holly W. Butler, a former resident of Vineyard Haven, died March 3 of complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, at Buckingham's Choice, a long-term health care facility in Adamstown, Md. She was 73. She was predeceased by her husband, Roger, who died in 1996, also from ALS.

Mrs. Butler was born on April 19, 1931 in Richmond, Va. While an undergraduate at Radcliffe College (Harvard University), she married Roger L. Butler (Harvard, 1951) in 1952 and graduated from Radcliffe in 1953. Mrs. Butler spent her career in direct mail advertising and marketing at several Connecticut and New York city based advertising agencies, while also staying very active in Radcliffe alumnae programs. The Butlers moved from Weston, Conn. in 1994, retiring to the Chesapeake Bay area on the Northern Neck area in Virginia. In 1996, after her husband's death, she relocated back up north to New York city in 1997. Mrs. Butler moved to Martha's Vineyard in 2001, and then returned to Manhattan in early 2004.

While a resident of Vineyard Haven, Mrs. Butler was on the board of Vineyard House, Inc., the League of Women Voters, as well as being active with the Martha's Vineyard Peace Council and Grace Church. Upon her move from the Island, her children retained her home on Moonstone Way.

Mrs. Butler's hobbies included extensive directing and producing in community theatre and local Connecticut high school musical theatre, skiing and photography.

Mrs. Butler is survived by her daughter Julie Butler Evans and son in law Jon Evans of New Canaan, Conn., their children Janet and Jack Evans and Kenneth Flannery of New Canaan, and Corporal Blake Flannery, USMC, of Camp Pendleton, Calif.; her son, Kenneth Butler, daughter in law Deborah Butler and grandchildren Brooke and Faith Butler of Ijamsville, Md., and Blaine Butler of Keene, N.H.

A memorial service will be held on April 16 at Norfield Congregational Church in Weston at 11 a.m. Donations may be made in Mr. and Mrs. Roger Butler's names to Connecticut ALS Chapter, 4 Oxford Road, Unit D1, Milford, CT 06460.