George A. Butner

"VIEW VIDEO"

George Albert Butner of Garden City, Missouri, was born March 24, 1926 in Highland, Kansas, the second of six children of Thomas M. and Lois L. (Schaiffer) Butner. He departed this life on Wednesday, April 4, 2012.
When George was a young boy, his family moved from rural Kansas to the Kansas City area. Though he grew up during the Depression and the family sometimes struggled, they always made the best of what they had. George thoroughly enjoyed school and was voted most likely to succeed when he graduated from Triplett High School in 1945.
After high school, George worked for the Pullman Company at Union Station. He later met Betty (Kinnamon) Butner at a roller skating rink on Gillham Road in Kansas City. Near the end of World War II, he joined the army, serving as a medic on a ship returning war brides to the United States.
George and Betty were married June 19, 1948. They lived in Kansas City and Ruskin Heights, eventually moving with their four daughters, Becky Jane, Debbie June, Cindy Jean and Leigh Ann, to a farm in Creighton, Missouri in 1958. In 1970, George and Betty built a new home on a portion of the original farm land.
Hard work and a "can-do" attitude were important to George and he used these principles to build a successful career in the auto repair industry. After working as manager at DeBacker Chevrolet, he built and ran his own successful body shop near the family home. Later in his career he would manage the body shop for GR Milner Ford, until his retirement in 1996.
George had a taste for adventure and he and Betty loved to travel. Many summers were spent driving across the country with his kids and grandkids, introducing them to national parks, small town treasures and historic sites. After their retirement, George and Betty continued to travel, setting out on new adventures and always on the lookout for new discoveries and interesting places to eat (especially if they served seafood).
Nothing was more important to George than his family. He was a devoted father and grandfather, and shared his zest for life with those he loved. He especially enjoyed spending time with his growing family. Over the years, "Sunday Night Dinner" became an institution and continues to this day, with four generations of the family gathering every week to enjoy good food and each others' company.
George was a vibrant person, with many sides to his very likable personality. He had a silly side, a tough side and a tender side—those closest to him were well acquainted with each of them. He gave his all to everything he did and taught those around him the value of hard work, respect, trust and love. He was the embodiment of a true family man and will be missed by so many.
George is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Betty, of Garden City; his daughters, Becky Abbott, Garden City; Debbie (Jim) Hale, Garden City; Cindy Hoshor, Kansas City; Leigh Ann (Scott) Friedrich, Harrisonville; a brother, Roy Earl Butner, Warsaw; his six grandchildren, Darren (Jodi) Abbott, Ryan (Sarah) Hoshor, Andrea Abbott, Megan (Ryan) Sneed; Jessie Friedrich and Tyler Friedrich; eight great-grandchildren, George, Jacob, Jackson, Charles, Ethan, Owen, Olivia and Anna; other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 7, 2012 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Garden City, Missouri with burial in the Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Missouri.
Visitation; Celebration of Life Luncheon was held Saturday, April 7, 2012 at the First Christian Church, Garden City, Missouri.
The family request that memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas City Hospice or to the First Christian Church Memorial Fund, Garden City, Missouri.