Guy L. Buttz Obituary

Born: Wed., Jun. 30, 1926
Died: Thu., Nov. 13, 2014

Visitation
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Sun., Nov. 16, 2014
Location: Fielding Funeral Home

Funeral Service
10:30 AM Mon., Nov. 17, 2014
Location: Fielding Funeral Home

   Guy L. Buttz, 88, of Russell went to be with his Heavenly Father on Thursday, November 13, 2014.

   Guy was born to Homer and Julia (Kern) Buttz on June 30, 1926 in Confidence, Iowa. He lived near Confidence all his school years. On August 30, 1946, Guy was united in marriage to Evelyn LaFavre. They began their marriage by digging potatoes in North Dakota. To this union were born two children: Linda and Doyle.

   Guy loved to fish and hunt and would take trips all over with his family and friends in search of that big catch. There were trips to Alaska with Doyle and friends, trips with the grandkids to Washington Island, Puerto Rico, Mississippi, California and Canada. Guy also spent many opening weekends of deer season with family and friends rehashing tales from previous years and making a game plan for the upcoming drive.

   Guy loved his family and friends and spent his whole life helping and doing for others. He was known far and wide as Grandpa Guy. He was always around to give advice on how better to do something and then would fix things when you did it all wrong. He had a knack for fixing and building things and worked building four trailer parks in Ames and Huxley. While in Ames, Guy hauled snow for the city of Ames and even took tickets at Iowa State football games.

   Guy and Evelyn loved to travel and they traveled to almost every state...camping along the way. He spent several weekends over the years rodeoing with the grandsons and was their biggest fan. He had some of the best spots for mushroom hunting and would only trust a few close family members with the location of his secret spots. Guy could also be seen around Russell and Corydon and other local parades driving his model T. He was a survivor....He made it through rolling a tractor, flipping a skid loader, several car wrecks, a stroke, a ditch caving in, and a broken neck. A little bit of stubborn helped with this too. In his later years, he enjoyed watching the birds and wildlife from the window in his home and watching Iowa State Football on T.V.

   Guy was quite the early riser. He would get up early and tinker around in the garage, always just loud enough to ensure each of the kids would wake up to assist him in whatever project he was working on. 

   Guy was a member of the New Providence Baptist Church in Confidence. He was a long-standing deacon and trustee at the church and spent numerous hours working on the church and adjacent park. He was also dedicated to the Forest Lake Bible Camp in Ottumwa using his many talents, cutting wood and building an RV park.

   Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Evelyn Buttz of Russell, daughter Linda Johnson of Russell, son Doyle Buttz of Russell, three sisters: Velma Petty of Newton, Vera Peterson of Chariton, Donna (Tom) Beal of Curlew, Washington, six grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Guy is preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Julia Buttz, brother Leroy Buttz, brother-in-law Dale Peterson and son-in-law Don Johnson.

   Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Monday November 17, 2014 at the Fielding Funeral Home in Chariton, Iowa with Pastor Alva Skiles and Donna Beal officiating. Visitation was held from 5-7 p.m., Sunday, November 16 at the funeral home. Interment was held in the Confidence Cemetery following services. Memorials may be made to New Providence Baptist Church in Confidence, Iowa or the Legacy Lodge Hospice House in Chariton, Iowa.