Helen Butler passed away July 20, 2018. The Funeral Service will be Saturday, August 11, 2018 at St. John’s Missionary Church, 1651 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Ave., Indianapolis, 46202, starting at 12:00 noon with the visitation starting at 10:00am until the time of the service. The interment will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Obituary
Helen Butler was born on April 30, 1931, to the parents of Odie and Annie Lee Tate Green. Of four girls and three sons, Helen was the second born, and the last of the Tate Generation. Helen confessed a hope in Christ at a very young age and was a devout Christian. She was a faithful member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church for more than fifty years. Helen enjoyed Sunday school, Noon Day Prayer, Praise & Study, and Golden threads.
She opened her home to all of her family, fed the homeless, and gave you her ear and her heart with sincerity. Her faith in God was unmovable, and she lived a life of purpose. She escaped a near fatal accident with her husband, Bill (our father) and continued to live a life of prayer and commitment to her God.
Helen Butler was a graduate from Crispus Attucks High School, of Indianapolis in 1951. Helen worked 32 years in the magnetic tape division at RCA. Bill was the manager and Helen was cashier at east side Skaterina Roller Rink. It was a family affair at Skaterina Roller Rink where the Four Tops, Pattie LaBelle, and others performed back in the day. Helen was known for her beautiful smile. After the Skaterina burnt down, Bill and Helen went on to form a janitorial business. Their day jobs and entrepreneurial passion enabled Helen to send their children to some of Indianapolis finest schools including St. Rita’s Catholic School, Brebeuf Preparatory High School, and Cardinal Ritter High School.
Helen Butler loved and esteemed her family highly. She was proud of the rich legacy of the Tate-Green family. For 15 years straight, a young Helen from Lynchburg, Tennessee made it a priority to send her children to Murfreesboro and Lynchburg Tennessee during their summers. My mother, took us to the Green family reunion to bond with the first thru third generations almost all tied to working at the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg passing down the importance of family legacy.
As a young girl Helen enjoyed going to the ice cream parlor. Also, the last person to have lived in Daddy George’s home. Helen was able to identify her grandfather sitting next to the legendary Jack Daniel. She was blessed to have Dr. Martin Luther King comer by her home. Someday the family hopes to find his autograph in her home.
Helen Butler departed this life on July 20, 2018 at the age of eighty-seven years. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband William F. Butler in 2002, siblings, Wilma Jean Tate, Geraldine Thomas, George Thomas, Clifford Tate, and Odie Tate Jr. and grandson, Dominique Odie Butler
She leaves to cherish her memories and legacy to two sons, William Butler Sr, Marcus Butler Sr, grand children William F. Butler III, Deandra M. Kirk, Kriistal Diaz, and Marcus Butler II and three great grand children.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing