Bienvenido DeLeon Butalon

It is with profound sadness that the family of Bienvenido “Ben” Butalon announce that he was called home on June 10, 2023, at the age of 81. The world lost a great husband, brother, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and a dear friend. Ben fought hard and finished incredibly strong in his journey in this life and left peacefully at home surrounded by family.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 59 years, Carmelita; children Melanie & Edwin, Dulce, Carmela & Allan, Celina & Jaycee, and Michelle; grandchildren Monica & Christian, David, Matthew, John, and James; great grandchildren Annabelle, Noah, and Teddy; as well as numerous relatives and friends.

Ben was born in Parañaque, Philippines, on October 16, 1941, to Benita and Amado Butalon. He was the fourth of eight children and was the closest to his mother whom he adored greatly throughout her life.

He went to Don Galo Elementary School then to Arellano University while doing odd jobs for a living. His strong desire to take care of his family made him do backbreaking work as a painter and mechanic at a young age.

Ben was 16 years old when he again crossed paths with his old neighbor and childhood friend Carmelita. He grew close to her and her family without realizing his deep connection to her had grown. It was not until 4 years later that Ben confessed his interest through a cousin who handed Carmelita’s first of many love letters he wrote. They married happily through a civil wedding on March 16, 1964, then later in church on May 24 of the same year celebrated by their family and friends. They raised 5 strong, independent daughters in their many years together.

He was a natural street smart, a multi-skilled jack of all trades to those who knew him. In addition to working as a painter and a mechanic, he also worked as a busboy in Sheraton Manila where he cleared tables for well-known political figures and celebrities of his time. His strong desire to provide for his growing family drove him to work abroad. He painted underground tanks in Wake Island and operated heavy machinery in Saudi Arabia. He came home for good when he realized that he could not bear to be away from his family.

Then he entered the police force through the encouragement of his father-in-law. He grew his career over the next 23 years and retired as a senior police officer in 1997. The longevity of his career was brought by his dedication and good nature. He went beyond his way to extend help to anyone – the “go-to person” to his family, friends, neighbors, and police comrades. He continued to serve his community even after his retirement. He started and led an organization that provided help to retired police officers from cash to medical & food assistance. Through his leadership, his group initiated a medical mission that focused on helping the elderly in his community. He also led setup a shooting range to give his retired comrades a place to come together and to reminisce on their good old days.

It was in 1998 when his long battle for his health started. Over the years he has won over numerous health scares. He cheated death when he was 57 years old in what would be the most memorable fight for his life. His strong will to live pushed him beyond his limits when he drove himself alone to the emergency room while suffering a heart attack at midday.

He injured his spine from a fall that would confine him to a wheelchair at 70 years old, yet not an ounce of discouragement was seen from him. He carried on enjoying what he loved the most – travelling and good food with his favorite folks – his family. His zest for life was exceptional. He lived his life in full and did everything he enjoyed – from sipping iced caffè lattes in Tagaytay, eating grilled “pagi” by the roadside in Malaysia, feasting on roasted Peking duck and braised chicken feet in Macau, to his usual French toast, bacon, and eggs at his favorite breakfast joint Egg N’ Joe in Gilbert, Arizona. He moved to the US in 2019 and spent the rest of his years enjoying life with his wife and two daughters including their families. He doted especially on his great grandchildren Annabelle, Noah, and baby Teddy.

Ben, Daddy, or “Lolo Daddy” to his grandchildren, was a comical genius who had a knack in always giving his family a good laugh, most times at his own expense. He was charming and alluring, quiet yet there was a noticeable strength in him. His family is eternally grateful and will forever cherish his parting gift of bringing them together in the same room to honor and to remember his countless memories. To say his family loved him would be an understatement and to say that he will be greatly missed would be an even greater one.

A visitation will be held at 6:00 pm on Friday June 23, 2023, at Gilbert Memorial Park, 2100 East Queen Creek Road, Gilbert, AZ 85297, followed by a funeral service and mass at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

Please click the link below to view the service Live..