Helen E. Butler

Helen E. Butler of Alfred peacefully departed this earthly life Saturday, August 29, 2009, following the most compassionate care by the angels at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. She was born in East Lebanon on May 17, 1918, daughter of Leslie and Cora (Rogers) Worcester, the fifth generation of Worcesters to live in the same house, built in the late 1790's. Helen attended Lebanon Elementary School, graduating in 1935 from Sanford High School, and earning her teaching degree in 1939 from Gorham Normal School.On June 20, 1942 she married Myron A. Butler, whom at one time she had found to be too "smart-alecky" on their rides to and from high school. They made their first home in Saco.Before and during World War II, Helen taught in one-room schools in Gorham and Lebanon, like her mother before her. After moving to Sanford she volunteered for FISH, providing transportation services to those in need. Helen was also often accompanied by her young daughter going door-to-door on the Mothers' March for the March of Dimes. For many years she found joy working closely with her husband and son in their family businesses of Butler Motor and Oil Companies and Sudsland Laundramat, providing bookkeeping and clerical support. Helen and her husband spent many happy retirement years traveling in their motor home visiting forty-seven states and Canada. The destinations of many of those trips were to musical theatres in which their daughter was performing. Helen enjoyed traveling, sewing, reading and solving crossword puzzles. From childhood on, she also loved to draw and paint, expressing adult artistic talents in the design elements of her homes, with particular satisfaction in changing her decor with the seasons.Over the years, the time spent with her three granddaughters gave her the greatest of pleasure. All family gatherings were the most wonderful, meaningful times as each member was so precious to her.Besides her parents, Helen was predeceased by her husband Myron of fifty-nine years; great-grandson Benjamin Alexandre; a brother Ralph Worcester; and three sisters, Ruth Worcester, Margaret Goodwin and C. Muriel Wood.Helen is survived by her son Michael G. Butler and his companion Suzanne Iatesta of Gorham and daughter Rhoda L. Butler of Waterboro; three granddaughters and their husbands, Jennifer and Dennis Roberts of Waterboro, Laura and Michael Alexandre of Sanford, and Susan and Bruce Lane of Portland; seven great grandchildren, Emily and Zachary Lane; Hannah, Erin and Simon Roberts; Elijah and John-Paul Alexandre; her sister Mrs. Kenneth (Margery) White of Sanford; and several nieces and nephews.Helen and her family are most grateful to those who made her last few difficult months a little easier with their kindness, especially the staff of Hospice of Southern Maine and Paul Levasseur.Family and friends may visit on Thursday, September 3, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale, where a service will be held on Friday, September 4, 2009 at 10 a.m.. Interment will follow at Oakdale Cemetery, Sanford. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Helen's memory to Crossroads United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 290, Sanford, ME 04073, or Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route 1, Suite 1, Scarborough, ME 04074.Condolences may be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.