Submit a PhotoRonald Joseph Butts, beloved brother, husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on February 10, 2025 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Ron was born in Wendell, Gooding County, Idaho to Claude and Lucille (Hincks) Butts, the oldest of three brothers and four sisters. As part of a military family, he moved around quite a bit between California, Utah and Idaho, depending on where his father was transferred to. For most of his youth he lived in Hagerman, Gooding County, Idaho.
Ron enjoyed working on mechanical things, reading, fantasy role-playing, gardening and square dancing. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years as an airplane mechanic, including in the Vietnam War. He went on to pursue a career as an air-conditioning mechanic for the City of Phoenix, helping to keep the systems running that keep us all cool at Sky Harbor International Airport.
Ron was married for 17 years to Sylvia Lee Turner, and the two of them raised two sons and two daughters. He later married Sharon Oxford with whom he enjoyed 22 years of marriage, until she ultimately died of ALS. Thereafter, square dancing brought him together with Nancy Parkhill, whom he eventually married, and they enjoyed nearly 12 years together before his death.
Ron was predeceased by his brother John, sister Marie, his second wife Sharon, and her son Trey. He is survived by his brother Richard, sisters Angela, Amy and Michelle, wife Nancy, children Kevin, Jason (Erin), Richelle (Ted) and Cameo (Travis), stepchildren Dana (Roger) and Monica (Kevin), 15 grandchildren and six step grandchildren. He enjoyed visits with all these children and grandchildren. He will be missed and the good memories cherished.
A memorial service will be held on February 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at Gilbert Memorial Park Chapel, 2100 E Queen Creek Rd., Gilbert, AZ 85297.
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Love you!
One day our family will be all together again, never to part, surrounded by a loving heavenly father.
You made mom’s life much fuller and happier. You were a fun cook adding things like tuna and banana together in a salad, and the first person to introduce mecto the idea of replacing oil with applesauce when baking. You did an awesome job finishing the basement for mom and you to live in, and was the fub grandpa downstairs for my boys. You will be missed.