William Rex Butler

Bill Butler – musician, band director and family man, died peacefully surrounded by family March 26. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Carol (Frestedt) Butler; also survived by daughters Joanne (John) Henry, Jeanne (Tom) Flavin; sons David (Dana) Butler, Douglas Butler and stepsons Bob (Joy) Frestedt and Joel (Lisa) Frestedt, 13 grandchildren, one great-grandson and many loving nieces and nephews and his children’s mother, Leota Hales. He graduated from Minneapolis Central High School in 1949, later graduated from the U of Minnesota Served in the Army and was stationed in Austria during the Korean War. Bill taught band and music at Forest Lake, Chisago City and Spring Lake Park, where he retired to perform with local bands, including three decades with the Barbary Coast Dixieland Jazz Band and many years with the Lake Wobegon Brass Band. More recently, he played tuba with the Banjo Brass, and annually at a Cantata for Prince of Peace Church in Brooklyn Center. Musical highlights include the Nagasaki Goodwill Dixieland Tour in 1990 with the City of St. Paul; composing and playing a Fanfare in 1996 for the King and Queen of Sweden’s visit to Chisago County; playing pops songs with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Cantata, and jazz church services with Barbary Coast. Besides many of their CD’s, he also recorded “Latin Over Easy’ with the Dan Savage Quintet and Bill played countless local ballrooms with the Harry Reiner Dance Band. He and wife Carol are long-time members of Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, where Bill directed the choir for 18 years. They danced with the Swedish Dancers and a few years, ago, Bill was honored as Grand Marshal for Ki-Chi-Saga Days parade. Bill, a resident of Chisago City, MN, first moved to the town in the early 1960’s and then moved back permanently in 1976. Bill will be missed by his breakfast cribbage buddies at the Wagon Wheel, by the staff at Lindstrom’s Dinner Bel and many other in local spots where he told jokes and always met new friends, with the old. Bill loved games, fishing, wildlife and being with friends and family at the Lake. Memorial celebration of life service Tuesday, April 10, at Faith Lutheran Church, Forest Lake, MN, at 11 a.m. Visitation one hour prior. Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, MN. www. grandstrandfh.com. In lieu of flowers, Memorials preferred to the Organ Fund at Faith Lutheran Church, or donor’s choice.