Edith Butters

Edith Butters, 88, of Mead, Wash., formerly of Columbia Falls, died on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, at an extended care facility in Spokane, Wash., due to natural causes.

Edith was born Jan. 20, 1920, in Birmingham, Ala., to Watson and Sallie Mae (Dunn) Pulliam. She graduated from high school in San Angelo, Texas, in 1937 and St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing in Birmingham in 1941.

Edith enlisted in the U.S. Army in January of 1943. She met a handsome young man, who was wounded in the war and a patient of hers at the time, Manly G. Butters. The couple was married in Fort Benning, Ga., on Dec. 8, 1944 Edith was discharged in September of 1945 and they moved to Scobey. They then moved to Joplin, Hungry Horse for a short time and then to Columbia Falls, where they spent the rest of their married life.

Edith worked as a nurse at the Kalispell County Hospital, Whitefish Hospital, Whitefish Clinic and the Columbia Falls Clinic, and volunteered for many years at the school district administering vaccines, and hearing and vision exams.  She was a member of Eastern Star and the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church.

Edith so much enjoyed watching hummingbirds feeding and tending to her roses at her home in Columbia Falls. In her younger years, she enjoyed fishing trips with her family at Lake Ronan, sewing, golfing and square dancing with Doc.

Surviving Edith are her children, Barbara Fatzinger and husband Harlan of Mead, Wash., Jim Butters and wife Mary of Aloha, Ore., and Lynne James and husband Dennis of Great Falls; grandchildren Greg (Brooke Smith) Fatzinger, Jill (Kyle) Schmahl, Beth (Chase) Breckner, Jeffrey Butters, Jason (Sara Hattorf) Butters, Jennifer (Josh) Bergman, Susan (Eric McClure) Blackwell, Adam (Jennifer) Blackwell and Tyler (Hallie Torrey) Blackwell; and great-grandchildren Collin and Courtney Breckner, Conner, Matthew and Hannah Schmahl, Nathan Jackson and Taylor McClure.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Doc, who passed away Dec. 23, 2002; her parents; and a sister, Merle.

No services will be held. Thornhill Valley Chapel in Spokane Valley is handling arrangements.