William E. Butler

William Edward Butler, age 70, of South Portland, ME passed away on Tuesday.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2010, Bill was able to spend his final days at home under the loving care of his family. Bill was born in Weymouth, MA in 1944 to John Norman and Margaret Connors Butler. He attended Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree, MA where he excelled academically and as the co-captain of the hockey team. Following high school, he attended Providence College, earning a full academic scholarship, and ultimately a bachelor’s degree in English Literature in 1961. Advanced degrees followed, with a Master’s of Education from Boston State College and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Purdue University. Bill dedicated his career to education, serving in school systems in Maine, New York, and Massachusetts for over 35 years. He served as the Assistant Principal at Waterville High School in Waterville, ME and later at Our Lady of Nazareth Academy in Wakefield, MA. His first assignment as Principal came at Granville Junior-Senior High School in Granville, NY. The pinnacle of Bill’s career was certainly his time as the Principal of North Reading High School, where he served 16 and a half years, earning the Outstanding Principal of the Year Award in 1993 from his peers at the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association. He also dedicated personal time to the community of N. Reading, MA serving as a member of Saint Theresa’s Parish Pastoral Council and as an active member of the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation. Throughout his life, Bill personified integrity, promoted service to the greater good, and demonstrated ultimate dedication to his family and closest friends.

Bill is survived by his wife Connie, currently residing in S. Portland, ME.  His daughter Christine “CC” Moynihan and her husband Dan live in N. Kingstown, RI with their children Molly, Owen and Finn.  His son William “Rob” Butler and his wife Gina live in Newport, RI with their son Wilkes. Bill is also survived by his brother Shaun Butler and his wife Mary of Bluffton, SC; his sister Mary Ellen Fitzgerald, who resides in their childhood home in E. Weymouth; and his brother Norm Butler and his wife Sheila of Barnstable, MA.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Friday 4-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital).  Relatives and friends will gather in the funeral home at 8:30 AM on Saturday prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Albert the Great Church, Weymouth at 9:30 AM. Burial in Fairmount Cemetery, Weymouth.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bill may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472 or www.alz.org