Butler, John
August 05, 2010
John Butler - August 5- 2010
The Late John Butler
Three pieces of wood carrying the legends 'Live,' 'Laugh', and 'Love' dangle on tiny chains from the back door of the late John Butler's home with wife Imelda in 'Riversdale', Forenaughts, between Naas and Johnstown.
They hang above the spot where a wasp stung his finger while he tended the roses in their back garden.
Reaction to the sting caused the well-known business man and author's death at the age of 55. He passed away on Sunday, July 25 last.
On the day he died, John read the Word of God at Mass in Kill church where he had been part of the community for more than 25 years. Days before that, he and Imelda returned from a successful business trip to Russia for their company Century Management, of which he was co-founder and managing director.
John's proudest moments, said Fr. Willie O'Byrne, parish priest of Kill, at his funeral service were in sharing the lives of "his three special girls, Imelda, Michelle and Maria".
The family celebrated Michelle's return from her 14-month world travels last year and recently her career accomplishments as a senior social worker at the Mater Hospital. Six weeks ago, the family hosted the wedding celebrations of their daughter Maria to Geoff Steinemann from New York at their home. Maria, a human rights lawyer and founder of the international charity, Growth Reaching Africa (GRA(, has worked as a delegate for the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN and now works with the International PeaceWomen Project in New York.
John, a motivational speaker, entrepreneur and author of six books and many training courses on management and personal development, packed a huge amount into his life Fr O'Byrne told the congregation of more than 600 who thronged Kill church for John's funeral and later his burial at St. Corban's new cemetery, Naas, Co. Kildare on Wednesday 28th July.
Fr. O'Byrne said; "John was a reader here in this church. He was a great supporter of the parish. He was always willing to give a helping hand and to support in any way. It is ironic that he had been down to do the reading last Sunday at 11am Mass. The Sunday before that we gave him very short notice.
He had a flamboyant shirt of which he was very self-conscious, but he delivered the Word of God very well. I've heard many people refer to John in many ways. The word 'gentleman' is the word that comes to the fore and is very appropriate. Mind you, for those of you who hurled with him or against him, 'gentleman' wasn't an appropriate word, but otherwise he was a lovely fellow with no sides to him. He was a great neighbour, and had a great work ethic and a huge and terrific and talented business head which is obvious in the way that Imelda and himself had progressed over the years and set up their company Century Management."
During the Mass, Imelda's brother Sean Kelly narrated the presentation of memorabilia which included a copy of his first book, a flower from his garden, a golf card from St.Andrew's Golf Club and a candle symbolising the love between Imelda and John. Margaret Walsh led the Kill Church Choir in hymns including Abide with Me and Be Not Afraid.
Neighbours from Glendara, Kill, remembered how John Butler would quickly change form a business suit to shorts and shirt, or a football jersey. They recalled him doning overalls in the driving rain to drive stakes and erect a fence for the community and for tending a giant bed of roses that he helped sow on the green there. Next moment, he packed a bag to address a group of business executives in Dublin.
As a speaker, John Butler addressed thousands of business owners, managers, directors, executives and people in management and sales in Ireland, across Europe, the USA, Australia and Canada, teaching them techniques about achievement in their lives.
His books ' Crossing the Rubicon' and 'Successful Entrepreneurial Management', which sold across the world, were translated into several languages. Among hundreds of tributes to him was one from the world renowned management speaker and author Brian Tracy of California, USA.
John came from a farming family at Myshall, Co. Carlow. He attended Myshall National School and then Knockbeg College before going to UCD to do an arts degree and qualify as a teacher. He taught for some time in Inchicore, Dublin. He and his wife Imelda worked in the United States before they returned to Ireland and John was appointed sales manager of an educational publishing company. They later formed Century Management Limited in 1989.
In Kill, Co. Kildare he was a member of the local GAA club. In his native Myshall, Co. Carlow, he was a member of the Naomh Eoin GAA Club. The continuous ties with his roots and his prowess in football and hurling were symbolised when members of the club formed a guard of honour and laid a Naomh Eoin yellow and black club jersey on his coffin, which was presented to Imelda.
A proud personal moment was the visit of Sam Maguire and Liam McCarthy to his former home in Kill and that he kept both cups in his home overnight.
Testimony to his popularity was the attendance of hundreds of people at his funeral, including politicians, sporting heroes, business and community leaders. Father Willie O'Byrne was celebrant of his funeral mass. Also concelebrating were Fr. Moling Lennon, former parish priest of Naas and former rector of Knockbeg College, Fr. Philip O'Shea, PP Myshall., Fr Matt Kelly, CC, Kill, former president of Knockbeg College, Fr. John Brickley CC. Naas, a fellow student of Knockbeg College, Fr. Jeremiah O'Brien, Augustinian and Fr. Denis Doyle, chaplain to Naas Hospital and cousin of John.
From the altar at Kill Church, his wife Imelda and daughters Michelle (Shelly) and Maria (Ria) paid tribute to him, thanking him for "completing his purpose of life" and "for making a difference", "He made an impact," they said.
Imelda Butler, on behalf of her family, thanked everyone for coming here for "this celebration of John's wonderful life".
He was, she said, a source of joy and love.
John Butler is survived by his wife Imelda, nee Kelly, formerly of Monor-Kilbride, Co. Wicklow, and daughters Michelle (Senior Social Worker in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the Mater Hospital, Dublin), Maria (Director Peace Women Project; Founder GRA) and her husband Geoff Steinemann, New York, brothers Ted and Andy (Carlow) and sisters Helen and Mary Butler (Chicago, USA) and Anne Deegan (Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow).
- Michael Freeman
Courtesy of the Leinster Leader
August 5th 2010
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