1932 - 2024
Funeral services for Mildred Katherine Matheson Butterfield, age 91, will be Friday, May 17, 2024 at 2:00 PM at the Anderson Burris Funeral Home Chapel with Reverand Don Butterfield officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, Enid, OK.
Mildred Katherine Matheson Butterfield was born December 15, 1932, at Webster, Kansas in her grandmother’s home to Raymond Levi Matheson and Irene Marguaret Dussault Matheson. Her family moved to the State of Washington and spent her early childhood years in the area. She almost died from pneumonia as a young girl. During her recovery she did not have much physical strength, but she could read. This is when her love of reading really manifested. Her family moved back to Kansas when World War II broke out and lived on their farm along the banks of the Solomon River close to Damar, Kansas. She grew up being her father’s farm hand and always loved animals, particularly horses. During her high school years they moved south of Bloomington, Nebraska where she met Velden Butterfield. After Mildred’s high school graduation, she and Velden were married on June 3, 1951, and moved to Kearney, Nebraska. The following year they had their first son, Larry. Two years later, their daughter, Pat, was born. Two years later they were living in Norton, Kansas where Dave was born, followed by Don two years after that. Mildred received Christian instruction as a child, but never really understood it. During the early years of being a young wife and mother of four small children, she sought out spiritual things and made a decision to accept Christ as her personal savior. She studied and sought out God’s leading in her life and became a prayer warrior. During this time, she and Velden turned their children over to the Lord and prayed continually for them. They became very involved in serving in their church and attended church every time the doors were open, taking along their four children. In 1971 they moved to Hutchinson, Kansas and sought out the church God wanted for them. They continued to serve tirelessly at the Assembly of God Church in multiple leadership capacities. They had a heart for missions. They learned that they could not out-give the Lord and although they never had a lot of money, they gave more than many to God’s work and lived a joyful life. Mildred had been a stay-at-home wife and mother for many years when the children were growing up. As Velden’s job in the printing and newspaper business changed due to technology, he had to learn new skills to stay employed and money was tight. She took some jobs to help with the family income, and they continued to give more than 10% of their income to God’s work. She excelled in selling Avon and received several top awards. She then decided to pursue a career in Real Estate and worked hard to obtain her Broker’s License. She also had a love for books and writing and took courses to develop her writing skills. She had five devotionals and four articles published in Christian magazines and wrote and published her memoir in 2014 in a book titled “Memory Recall”. Her desire was that her story would help others in their spiritual journey. They moved to Wichita, Kansas for their retirement years and later moved to Belton, Missouri to be close to their son Don and family. After weathering a few brutal winters, they decided they needed to make a change and moved to Enid, Oklahoma closer to Pat. After seeking God’s leading and visiting many churches, they made Central Assembly of God their church home and they continued actively serving God through the church in many ways. Mildred and her good friend, Beverly Lance who also had a love for reading, established a Library for the church. They enlisted their husbands to help assemble bookcases and haul boxes of books and then operated the library until their health made it difficult to continue.
Mildred lost her loving husband, Velden, on September 14, 2019, after 68 years of marriage. She lived a peaceful life as a widow and remained active in Bible Studies and Prayer Groups at Golden Oaks Retirement Village in Enid, OK. When her health declined, she moved to Fairview Fellowship Home Assisted Living and then to Long Term Care.
Mildred is survived by her children: Rev. Larry Butterfield and wife Chris of Naponee, NE; Patricia Regier and husband Elton of Cleo Springs, OK; David Butterfield and wife Karen of Winter Haven, FL; and Rev. Donald Butterfield and wife Cathy of Belton, MO. She has nine grandchildren: Tashia Butterfield, Nathanel Butterfield, Jacob Regier, Micah Regier and wife Amber, Tifany Butterfield, Shane Butterfield, Matthew Butterfield and wife Hannah, Rev. Nathan Butterfield and wife Alexis, and Joel Butterfield and wife Alexandria. She has fifteen great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters, Margaret Lou Wach and Barbara Guennewig, Brother-in-Law Rev. Raymond Butterfield and Sister-in-Law Dorothy Gordon and husband Arlo, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her Husband, Parents, Parents-in-law Dewey and Goldie Butterfield, her brothers Richard, Billie and Donnie. Sister-in-law Evelyn Butterfield, Brothers-in-law LeRoy Wach and Tom Guennewig, and Granddaughter-in-law Kara Regier.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the Central Assembly of God Church Library Fund, Enid, OK
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