Obituaries

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July 10, 2012

Elaine Burton Butler

Mrs. Elaine Burton Butler, 70, of Chatsworth, passed away on July 9, 2012, at Hamilton Medical Center.

Elaine was born in Kings Mountain, N.C., a daughter of Lawrence and Lottie Burton. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Butler.

Elaine taught English in Florida and other Georgia school systems before coming to Murray County Schools. She was the Murray County Schools adult education director for 23 years and also was in charge of the Reinhardt and Brenau off-campus programs for more than 10 years that enabled many Murray County citizens to earn their college degrees locally. Elaine also provided assistance to the Gilmer County Reading Program in Ellijay in its early years.

In 1998 she went to work for the Family Support Council in Dalton, a child abuse prevention network that covers Whitfield and Murray counties. It was here that Elaine completed most of her enduring work, toiling tirelessly for Murray County children and adults in need, and conceiving the much-needed Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group that advocated for senior adults whose grandchildren came under their care.

Elaine received many awards for her work, including the Georgia Adult Educator award in 1989; the Innovative Programming award for Promoting Safe and Stable Families in 2001; Murray County Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year in 2002; the Vision in Action award from the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention in 2008; and the You Touch Lives award for Promoting Safe and Stable Families in 2010. The United Way of Northwest Georgia also established the Elaine Butler Volunteer of the Year Award in recent years.

Even after setbacks Elaine continued to better herself physically by spending many hours in pool therapy at Bradley Wellness Center. She will be remembered for her compassion for people in need and her tireless efforts on their behalf. Elaine also inspired many by battling back from cancers that attacked her body, and always saw the good and potential in others.

She was a member at Sumach Cumberland Presbyterian Church in north Murray County, and took part in many church activities, including one of her favorites — preparing take-out plates to those in need on Thanksgiving morning.

She is survived by daughters Belle Anne Butler and Carlene Butler Mutter and her husband Jeff Mutter and grandson, Riley Mutter; sister, Freida Hardin of Kings Mountain, N.C., and a brother, Lawrence Burton of Washington, D.C.; nieces, Susan Holloway of Charlotte, N.C., and Gail Hardin of Alexandria, Va.

Services will be Thursday at 3 p.m. from Holly Creek Baptist Church with Dale Watson and Glenn Brister officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Family Support Council, P.O. Box 1707, Dalton, GA 30722-1707.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home today from 3 to 8 p.m.

Arrangements made with integrity by Shawn Chapman Funeral Home, Crematory and Monuments, Chatsworth; www.shawnchapmanfh.com.

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