Arthur Butler, age 94, of Amery, WI, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2015 with his family by his bedside. Art was born on December 6, 1921 to Adelia and Nels Butler in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When he was a young child, his family moved to Amery, Wisconsin. His family farmed north of town near the Apple River. Art attended Goose Lake School. After the eighth grade, Art went to work on farms in the area.

Art was drafted into the US Army in June of 1942. He served in the Pacific theater during WWII and was stationed at Wheeler Base on Oahu, Hawaii. During his more than three years he served in the Army Air Corp and he was sent to Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands and to Iwo Jima.

Art married Elaine Christensen on January 9, 1946. They began their lives renting a farm near his parents but in January 1947 they bought a farm in the Volga area. There they raised their three children and operated a dairy farm for over thirty years. There were many changes over the years with breaking more land for fields (picking millions of rocks) and building a new barn.

Art spent many years as the Assessor for Lincoln Township. He enjoyed this so much because he could get to know and talk to so many of his neighbors. Art also was a cattle trucker for a few years. After leaving the farm, Art lived in Amery and enjoyed events at the Senior Center and coffee with the guys.

Art loved dogs and always had a dog by his side. Art loved to travel and went on a tour to Europe in 1970 with an agriculture group from Amery. Art liked to play pool with his friends.

Art is preceded in death by his wife, Elaine, his parents, brother Raymond Butler, and sisters Evelyn Carson and Irene Dreier.

Art leaves behind to love and remember him: his children, Grace Simons (Mike), Luci Black (Harlan), Dale Butler (Renee Ducharme); his companion of several years Loretta Carlson; his brother Allen Moltzer (Vivian); his grandchildren, Matthew Simons, Katie Simons (Dennis McDaniel), Kellie Riley (Clint), Adam Black, Aaron Black (Jen), Sam Butler (Stacy Huppert), Abbey Butler (Rob Fenske), Gretchen Butler (Jesus Cavanas), Sarah Butler (Jason Schmidt), Joe Butler (Cassie) and Maggie Butler (Brad Holmstadt); 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at Balsam Lutheran Church on Friday, January 8th at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be held at Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery, WI, on Thursday, January 7th, 2016 from 4 to 7 PM and one hour prior to the service at the church.

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