Henley, Marylou

Marylou Henley, 77, died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by family, on July 17, 2012, after a brief and unexpected illness. Beloved mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, and friend, Marylou was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, attending high school in Shaker Heights and college at Colby Junior College in New Hampshire. Her father was a dentist, her mother a homemaker, and her brother, Bill Beutel, a news anchor in New York.

A joyful remembrance of Marylou's life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, where the family will greet friends after 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made in Marylou's name to either Riverside Theatre or the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Foundation.

As a medical secretary at Case Western Medical School in Cleveland, she met her first husband, William T. Butler, with whom she raised three children. In 1966, they moved to Houston, Texas, and she spent most of her adult life there and in Dallas, heading the Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas, and working as a secretary at the Harris Co. and Owens-Illinois.

She married her second husband, Garland Henley, in 1978, with whom she shared many happy hours on the golf course and at the card table. He preceded her in death in 1996.

In 2005, she moved to Iowa City, where she lived an active and fun life. The week began with her Monday morning coffee clique and ended with her Friday afternoon movie group; the days between were filled with her Wednesday night poker group, the Mercy Guild, the University Club, the Senior Center, poker at the American Legion, and a special group of Red Hats.

Marylou was an avid craftsperson, famous for her homemade presents as well as her crochet, knitting, needlepoint, and cross-stitch. She was a daily cross word puzzler and a dedicated follower of sports, watching the Tour de France, the Olympic trials, Wimbledon and golf right up to her last days.

Marylou will be fondly remembered for her sharp wit and sense of humor, and for her thoughtfulness and caring for others. She brought joy to many peoples' lives and will be greatly missed by her survivors: daughter, Marilyn Butler and her spouse, Bruce Freeman, of Portland, Ore.; son, Tom Butler and his spouse, Amy, and grandsons, William and Clayton, of Houston, Texas; daughter, Robin Butler and her spouse, Janelle Rettig, of Iowa City; and former husband, William Butler and his spouse, Carol, of Houston, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, and her husband, Garland.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com

Published July 19, 2012 in The Gazette