Martha Butler

Martha Jean Hicks Butler, beloved wife, mother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend returned to her Heavenly Father and dear husband on April 21, 2017. She was born on June 4, 1934 to Matthew Henry Hicks and Genevieve Susan Dean in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Martha’s early years were spent in the beautiful high mountain valley of Gunnison, Colorado. She moved to the Tooele Valley in her early teen years. Through family acquaintances, she met and eventually married the love of her life, Farrell Butler, on July 23, 1951. Their marriage was solemnized for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple in 1958. Martha and Farrell with their young family lived in Seattle, WA where Farrell worked for Boeing Aircraft. Eventually, they returned to Grantsville where they spent the “best years of their lives.”

Most important to Martha were her family, church and community. She supported her many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in all of their activities. Martha was so proud of each one’s accomplishments, whatever that might be. She was Grantsville Cowboys’ # 1 fan no matter what the sport. Many a time, her ‘yell’ could be heard by all in attendance. She really enjoyed watching the Grantsville Cowboys, Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and Utah Jazz. If you needed to know a score, you could just ask Grandma.

It was through Martha’s strong faith in her Savior that she was able to witness many miracles during her life. She served faithfully, never wavering, in many callings in the LDS Church. Whether it was teaching in primary, serving in scouts, or Relief Society, she did it joyfully. Martha and Farrell were the founding directors of the Grantsville Family History Center, served a mission at the LDS Employment Center in Tooele, and were temple workers in the Salt Lake Temple.  She was grateful to serve wherever she was called.

Kind, loving, and caring are the words that best describe Martha. She always put others first, greeted everyone with a smile, and in her loving way would say, “you are special!” Martha’s home was always open to those in need. Martha and Farrell spent over 64 years together enjoying each other’s company and raising a family of seven children and a nephew to whom they truly devoted their lives. It is difficult to express the love and gratitude her children feel for their parents growing up together as a family in Grantsville. From the oldest to the youngest, they are Wayne(Jeannine), Linda Christiansen(Steve), Bob(Belinda), Curtis(Pam), Jolene Droubay(Scott), John(Marjorie), and Christie Carlson(Todd). Martha is survived by her seven children, 24 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren (with one on the way), Sister-in- law Leila Riding, and many nieces and nephews that she loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings and nephew Raddie whom she raised many years as a son.

Funeral services for Martha will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the LDS Chapel located on 428 S. Hale St. in Grantsville, UT. Viewings will be on Monday, April 24th from 6:00-8:00 pm and Tuesday from 11-12:30 prior to services at the same location. Interment will be held at the Grantsville Cemetery. A special thanks to medical professionals who cared for Martha through the years and most recently the staff at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Harmony Home Health and Didericksen Memorial for their loving care of Martha.