April 13, 1953 – December 26, 2011
Rick – husband, Dad, brother, uncle, and friend to absolutely everyone who met him, left us suddenly while doing what he loved most – skiing with his beautiful daughters in Kananaskis. Rick was born and raised in Edmonton, graduated from the University of Alberta and married Gwynneth Penny, “the most beautiful girl in the entire school” in 1978. Rick loved Gwyn more than anything and most importantly, told her and everyone else that fact every day.
Rick held a number of senior government roles throughout Canada’s North from Yellowknife and Iqaluit to Whitehorse. Rick and Gwyn returned to Whitehorse after spending a year travelling the world; Corrie and Marni were both born there. In 2002 and after a time in Revelstoke, BC, they moved to Cochrane where Rick was the CAO of the Calgary Regional Partnership.
In 2010 Rick was elected Councillor and Deputy Reeve for the County of Rockyview. He threw himself into that role with the passion and enthusiasm he exhibited for everything in his life. Even the most hardened critic could not doubt that here was an honest and dedicated individual who truly cared about his constituents, who inevitably, became his friends.
No one could resist Rick’s enthusiastic and exuberant personality – along with the laughs, the hugs and the sound effects. He listened in such a way as to make everyone believe that this was the most important conversation and this moment was all that really mattered.
He had a passion for planting trees on ‘the land’ and would spend hours, days – entire weekends tirelessly nurturing and moving his seedlings. Rick planted thousands of trees and could be seen any time of day or night, in any weather, watering his beloved trees wearing his rubber boots, his housecoat and his cowboy hat complete with ear phones duct taped to his head so they wouldn’t fall off! He planted out of faith – “faith is planting a tree that you will never sit in the shadow of.” Rick was not tethered to traditional time, and so, there are still 1500 trees to plant!
Rick will live on in the hearts of his best friend and wife Gwynneth, his daughters Corrie and Marni, his siblings and their spouses: Barb Butler, Gail and Don Campbell, Shirley and Monte McIntyre, Rob Butler and Tannis Hushagen, the entire Penny family, his many nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Rick believed that moderation was for monks; to enjoy the full flavour of life take big bites. He did and we love him for it.
A celebration of Rick’s life will be held at Bearspaw Rock Point Church, Corner of Lochend Road and Highway 1A on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 1:30. To respect Rick’s commitment to sustainability, rather than flowers, those who wish can donate to a leadership trust fund administered through the Communities Development Society. For details on donations, contact robbutler@xplornet.com.
The family extends thanks to the Nakiska Ski Patrol, EMS, STARS and the staff at the Foothills Hospital. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Kenneth Roy Butler, please visit our flower store.
Rick – husband, Dad, brother, uncle, and friend to absolutely everyone who met him, left us suddenly while doing what he loved most – skiing with his beautiful daughters in Kananaskis. Rick was born and raised in Edmonton, graduated from the University of Alberta and married Gwynneth Penny, “the most beautiful girl in the entire school” in 1978. Rick loved Gwyn more than anything and most importantly, told her and everyone else that fact every day.
Rick held a number of senior government roles throughout Canada’s North from Yellowknife and Iqaluit to Whitehorse. Rick and Gwyn returned to Whitehorse after spending a year travelling the world; Corrie and Marni were both born there. In 2002 and after a time in Revelstoke, BC, they moved to Cochrane where Rick was the CAO of the Calgary Regional Partnership.
In 2010 Rick was elected Councillor and Deputy Reeve for the County of Rockyview. He threw himself into that role with the passion and enthusiasm he exhibited for everything in his life. Even the most hardened critic could not doubt that here was an honest and dedicated individual who truly cared about his constituents, who inevitably, became his friends.
No one could resist Rick’s enthusiastic and exuberant personality – along with the laughs, the hugs and the sound effects. He listened in such a way as to make everyone believe that this was the most important conversation and this moment was all that really mattered.
He had a passion for planting trees on ‘the land’ and would spend hours, days – entire weekends tirelessly nurturing and moving his seedlings. Rick planted thousands of trees and could be seen any time of day or night, in any weather, watering his beloved trees wearing his rubber boots, his housecoat and his cowboy hat complete with ear phones duct taped to his head so they wouldn’t fall off! He planted out of faith – “faith is planting a tree that you will never sit in the shadow of.” Rick was not tethered to traditional time, and so, there are still 1500 trees to plant!
Rick will live on in the hearts of his best friend and wife Gwynneth, his daughters Corrie and Marni, his siblings and their spouses: Barb Butler, Gail and Don Campbell, Shirley and Monte McIntyre, Rob Butler and Tannis Hushagen, the entire Penny family, his many nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Rick believed that moderation was for monks; to enjoy the full flavour of life take big bites. He did and we love him for it.
A celebration of Rick’s life will be held at Bearspaw Rock Point Church, Corner of Lochend Road and Highway 1A on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 1:30. To respect Rick’s commitment to sustainability, rather than flowers, those who wish can donate to a leadership trust fund administered through the Communities Development Society. For details on donations, contact robbutler@xplornet.com.
The family extends thanks to the Nakiska Ski Patrol, EMS, STARS and the staff at the Foothills Hospital. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Kenneth Roy Butler, please visit our flower store.
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