Jan. 7, 1944 - July 15, 2022

Dr. William Charles Butler

EVERGREEN, Colorado — Dr. William Charles Butler (Bill), age 78, passed away on July 15, 2022, at Life Care Center of Evergreen, CO, of late onset, acute myeloid leukemia. He was born on January 7, 1944, in Bloomington, IL, to Lois Hoobler Butler and Edward Charles Butler, Jr.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Charlene Butler, of Evergreen; son, Timothy Wayne Butler, daughter-in-law, Linda Clement, and granddaughter, Claire Elizabeth Butler, all of Boulder; and sisters: Lucinda Butler Dohan of Cincinnati, OH, and Lois Butler Gloor of Alexandria, VA; as well as five nieces and nephews and their children; and his 102-year old Aunt Vera Hoobler Brady from Gridley, IL.

Bill graduated from the University of Illinois in 1966, eventually getting his PhD in Geology from the University of Arizona. After teaching at Russell Sage College in Troy, NY, he moved his family west to work for the US National Geological Survey in the mountains around Denver.

Being an avid outdoorsman, he and his son volunteered with the Alpine Rescue Team. Bill did freelance detective investigations and blood hound searches. He taught gun safety, self-defense and outdoor survival. Nearly 30 years after participating in the Alpine Rescue Team's original search for journalist Keith Reinhard on Pendleton Mountain, with his bloodhound Reliant, he was asked to revisit the cold case by a documentary team as forensic scientist, certified legal investigator and endorsed expert witness in canine man-trailing.

He loved to engage in conversations about probability and investigate genealogy. He authored manuals about using the scientific method in crime solving and collected antique cars. There was never a dull moment being around Bill.

At Bill's request, there was no funeral.

Donations may be made in his memory to Alpine Rescue Team (alpinerescueteam.org).

He requested that his remains be cremated.