Mary Helen Butler, 64, Waldorf

Friday, July 3, 2009

Born Jan. 30, 1945, she was the daughter of the late Thomas DeSales and the late Mary Edith Butler.

She retired from the Charles County Board of Education as an assistant building manager in June 2008 after many years of service. She was well respected among her colleagues and the students at Maurice J. McDonough High School. She was dedicated and reliable over the years, but she looked forward to her retirement so she could relax and spend more time with her family.

She was a great inspiration to her family and was a true friend and mom to many of her extended family and friends. She encouraged them to take care of each other and was a second "rock" in the family. She prepared Sunday dinners every week and if there wasn't enough, she cooked more. She enjoyed eating crabs, reading and watching the Sci-Fi Channel and "The Young and The Restless".

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers James, Thomas, George and Lawrence; and nephew, Charles Butler Jr.

She is survived by her children, Brigitte, Gary, Felecia and Bernard; grandchildren, Shane, Brooke and Isaiah; sisters, Alma and Alice; brothers, Charles, Joseph and Robert; aunts, Ella and Audrey Washington; daughter-in-law, Christi; sisters-in-law, Theresa "Reesie," Linda, Theresa, Thelma and Yvette; brothers-in-law, Bruce and Larry; nieces and nephews, Charles and his wife, Cathy, Maxine and her husband, Christopher, Samuel and his wife, Vivian, Caroline, Clifton, Rosemary and her husband, Allen, Charlotte, Brian and his wife, Tina, Melissa, Ronald, Robert, Shelly and her husband, Jeff, Joseph Jr., Nathaniel and his wife, Kim, Harold Jr., Sonia, Yolanda and her husband, Ron, Christopher, Stephen and his wife, Paulette, Larry and his wife, Shalawn and Danielle and her husband, Mikael; great-nieces and -nephews, LaToya, James, Andrew, Janay, John, Kimberlee, Samuel Jr., Brian, Ebony, JaQuan, Naja, Darius, Dominic, Ariel, Braxton, Brent, Quintin, Kayla, Taylor, Jeremiah, Bryce, Tyrone and Jalen; honorary grandson, Kyle Thompson; special cousins, William Chase and Theresa Thomas, who graciously assisted her whenever she needed them; and many other family members.

Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. July 7 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Pomfret. Burial will take place at the church cemetery.

Arrangements are being handled by Thornton Funeral Home, Pomonkey.