Obituaries

Mary “Sue” Butler, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away at home surrounded by family on July 3, 2023. Sue was the beloved wife of 55 years to William “Bill” P. Butler, devoted mother of Kevin Butler (Whitney) and Christa Butler (Anthony Papadopoulos), and loving Nana of Frida Summe, Johannes Summe, Logan Butler, and Connor Butler.

Sue was the third of six children, born to Edward and Alice Lutz (nee Kroger) on November 20, 1944, in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. She remained a proud, lifelong resident of Northern Kentucky. She was the cherished sister of the late Ed Lutz (Mary Lee), Carol Thiel (the late Greg), Beverly Potter (the late Fred), Joan Alley (John), and Mark Lutz (Anita). She was the dear sister-in-law of Kay Dusing (the late Charles), Robey Klare (the late John), the late Barbara Brown (the late Marty), Mike Butler (Denise), Mary Alice Butler, and Marty Butler (Sandra). Sue was preceded in death by her in-laws, Robert and Martha Butler.

With her husband, Sue established the Butler Foundation to give back to the Northern Kentucky community by providing pathways to success for those in need, primarily through supporting education and the Life Learning Center. Sue was a founding board member of Northern Kentucky Harvest and served on the boards of The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center in Covington and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. She also volunteered for the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation, helping raise funds needed to build a long-awaited, in-patient Hospice Center in Northern Kentucky.

She was a member of both Mother of God Church in Covington and Holy Spirit Parish in Newport. Sue was a candidate on Women’s Cursillo Weekend #1 in the Diocese of Covington. She and her husband developed the local Post-Cursillo program, and in the late 1960s and 1970s, they worked to grow the Cursillo movement through their service in the Leaders’ School and Secretariat.

Sue cherished her family and friends above everything. She prioritized relationships and spending time with people she loves, especially her four grandchildren. When not spending cherished time with her grandchildren, Sue’s favorite hobby was needlepoint. She took great joy in lovingly stitching countless, personalized creations for all of her loved ones. More than anything, Sue loved making memories with her family and friends whether playing card games, cheering on her favorite sports team, or soaking up the beauty of the Colorado sky. She will be dearly missed.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 PM on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at Mother of God Church in Covington, with visitation immediately preceding from 9:00 to noon. The Mass will be live-streamed at: http://mother-of-god.org/churchcast . In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Butler Foundation, 100 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 1100, Covington, KY 41011; or the UC Health Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, c/o UC Foundation, PO Box 19970, Cincinnati, OH 45219.

To share a story or to leave a condolence to Sue’s family, please visit: www.linnemannfuneralhomes.com