Helen Butler

Family and friends will gather on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007, at the Memorial Community Center in Hope to celebrate the life of Helen Butler who passed away on Jan. 14, 2007, in Spokane, Wash.

Helen was born in Oden, Idaho, on April 18, 1918, the daughter of Mike and Mary Venovich Ponack. She spent her childhood in the Oden Valley along with her sister, Catherine McCurtain, and brothers Bud, Nick, George and Samuel Ponack.

Helen married Guy M. Butler on Aug. 27, 1936, and they had five children. They spent their early married life in Spokane, before moving to Hope, Idaho, in 1945. They owned and operated Butler's One Stop grocery for 31 years.

After retirement in 1976, Helen and Guy spent their summers in Hope and winters in Yuma, Ariz.

In 1993, they moved to Rockwood Lane in Spokane.

Helen was active in the Hope community, a member of the Altar Society, Hope Civic Club and Garden Club. Throughout her lifetime, she had an abiding interest in gardening which she passed along to all of her children.

She took great joy in cooking, which she said was her gift of love to her family. Even in retirement, she continued to make cookies for friends and family.

She will be remembered by all of her children as a caring, giving and loving person.

She is survived by her children, Don (Charlotte) of Othello, Wash., Marilyn Arndtson (Jay) of Bothell, Wash., Bruce (Judy) of Spokane, Joyce Butler of Redmond, Wash., and Kathy Pattee (Jim) of Spokane; her brother Bud Ponack (Pat) of Lewiston, Idaho; and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

All are welcome to come to the luncheon in honor of Helen Butler at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, at the Memorial Community Center in Hope.