SUDLERSVILLE - William Hearon Buttrill, Sr., passed away on Mar. 5, 2017, at his home. He was born Sept. 16, 1917, in Krum (Denton County), Texas. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Jane Elizabeth (Headlee) Buttrill; and is survived by his devoted second wife, Chantra "Ying" Buttrill.
He is also survived by his three sons and three daughters, Bill (Joy) Buttrill, Judy (Ted) Patnaude, Nancy Chambers, Wally Buttrill, Walt (Marti) Buttrill and Sabie Carey.
In addition he is survived by 14 grandchildren, Bill (Cindy), Andrew (Robin), and Michael (Caroline) Buttrill; David (Brenda) Patnaude and Suzanne (Randy) Vel; Jason Chambers; Matthew (Sally), Joe and Dan Buttrill; Tim (Crystal) and Lindsay Buttrill; Willis (Mishaela) Brennan and Katie and Margo Carey. There are also 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.
He was a Texan at heart. Loving farming, animals and the great outdoors. After graduating from North Texas State University, he married Jane in 1940. Always ready for new adventures, Hearon and Jane went by train to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the U.S. Census Bureau. A little over a year later with one son in tow they moved to Annapolis, Md., to work for the Naval Research Station where he picked up the nickname "Tex." After four years there, they wanted to see more of the U.S. and, with two young children, moved to Wyoming to work for the Bureau of Mines. Texas kept calling them back and they returned to Texas to Jane's hometown where the next two children were born.
They soon realized that the greatest opportunity for success was in the Washington, D.C./Annapolis, area. They returned to Annapolis and he spent the balance of his career there -- working for the Naval Research Station again and then the Department of Agriculture in Beltsville and Washington, D.C. He retired in 1980 after 35 years of government service.
In retirement, Hearon took up flying and earned his pilot's license and bought his own plane. He and Jane flew around the country attending Flying Farmers conventions from Oshkosh, Wisc., to Lake Winnepesaukee, N.H. Hearon was also very active in the Sudlersville Lions Club and received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award. The award represents outstanding and dedicated service to the community and Lions International. He was also active in the Sudlersville Ruritans.
Several years after Jane passed away in 1998, he met Ying and travelled to her native Thailand, spending a month there to get to know her family and culture. Hearon and Ying married in 2007 and made their home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Sudlersville thoroughly enjoying the rural lifestyle and farming community. Friends, neighbors and family looked forward each year to the strawberry and blueberry harvests at the Buttrills.
They were equally supportive of each other -- Hearon taking her to driving school, tutoring in English and helping her prepare for her Nursing exam in the U.S. and Ying taking care of Hearon. She was able to re-establish her credentials as a Surgical Nurse and worked in Baltimore and is now working at Shore Regional Health in Chestertown. The family would like to thank all the staff at Shore Regional Health for their excellent care and thoughtfulness during Hearon's most recent hospitalization.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, Mar. 11, 2017, at Calvary Asbury United Methodist Church, 103 N Church St., Sudlersville. Visitation began at 1 p.m. with the funeral service at 3 p.m. Interment followed at the Sudlersville Cemetery, friends and family are invited back to Calvary Asbury United Methodist Church for refreshments.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to Calvary Asbury United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 202, Sudlersville, MD 21668. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.fhnfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are by the Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P. A., 370 Cypress St., Millington, MD 21651.