Butcher, Glenn Edward

Glenn Edward Butcher, 67, of Mason City, died suddenly Monday, April 18, 2011, at home. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1405 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, with the Rev. Steve Hansen officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, and continue at the church on Friday one hour before services.

He was born Aug. 3, 1943, to Albert “Roy” and Helen (Smith) Butcher in Rockwell, Iowa. He attended country school Bath No. 5, rural Rockwell, and graduated from Rockwell-Swaldale High in 1962. He graduated from Mason City Junior College in Mason City in 1964. He went on to graduate from the University of Iowa in 1967 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. Glenn married his soul mate, Ann Miller, on Jan. 16, 1970, at Sharon Center United Methodist Church, rural Kalona. They returned to Mason City, where they have lived for 41 years.

After graduation he was employed at St. Clair-Johnson Clothiers in Iowa City until his marriage to Ann. In Mason City, he was employed for some time as a conservation technician with the USDA. Glenn was a farmer at heart. He helped his father and cousins farm for many years. He also prized the acreage he and Ann owned in rural Rockwell. He always said “One day in the country was worth a day in town.” He loved the open spaces of the countryside.

Glenn enjoyed reading farm-related publications and history. He was always a great letter writer to many family and friends. He especially enjoyed collecting any item connected with John Deere. He was a 35-year member of Wesley United Methodist Church of Mason City. He was also a member of the Middlers group in church.

Glenn is survived by his wife, Ann, of 41 years; sisters, Jane Lauen of Belmond and Norma (Jim) Ostmo of Mason City; brothers-in-law, Robert (Karen) Miller of Riverside and Russell Miller of Iowa City; aunt, Ruth Smith of Mason City; six nieces, four nephews and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Kenneth; brother-in-law, Larry Lauen; and father- and mother-in-law, Delbert and Lucile Miller.

Memorials may be directed to Wesley United Methodist Church for the elevator fund or a charitable organization of choice.