Who Was Bill Butler?

Story by Melissa McCance

Our area was shocked and saddened last June as word spread that Deputy Sheriff Bill Butler had died in the execution of his duty. There was an enormous outpouring of concern and support for his wife Sarah and for his children. Although many facts about Deputy Butler‘s life have been shared in news stories and in his obituary, we wanted to present what he was like as a person. An interview with Sarah has given us a picture of Bill Butler, the man.

“I have a hard time coming up with the appropriate things to make him sound as great as he was.” This was the statement Sarah gave at the beginning of the interview, and that on its own says a great deal.

Bill spent 26 years in active-duty Army service including a tour overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom and working as a recruiter for the National Guard. According to Sarah, he said that military service was his duty, but law enforcement was his passion. He entered the police academy and completed his training in December 2022 just before turning 50. Bill became a full-time road deputy which was what he most wanted to do.

The couple met at the jail back in 2009, during the time when Sarah was working as the jail nurse for the inmates and Bill was working corrections. Her first arrival at the jail—swooping up on her motorcycle—was a memorable one, and the relationship grew from that first meeting.

Law enforcement fit Bill like a perfectly-tailored suit. “He loved it—he absolutely loved it. Everything about it, the work, the uniform, being part of it,” explains Sarah. “He had to have the black handcuffs so they’d match the clips on his belt. And he had the special earpiece so he could hear whenever things were going on.”

Sarah gave another example: “We had just gotten back from a family vacation to Kentucky the week before he died, and when we got back, there was a package at the house and it was stuff for his belt and his vest. It was special things that kept the clips in place. I asked, ‘What is all that for?’”

Bill replied that these attachments would keep everything secured so if he were in foot pursuit after somebody, nothing would shake loose from his belt and he wouldn’t have to go hunting for this equipment afterward. Also, he could run more quietly. Sarah’s response was that there was NOTHING quiet about him running!

His passion for and commitment to his work meant he didn’t really embrace the idea of a “day off.” When he wasn’t on duty, he would still be found at the sheriff’s office, finishing reports, staying on top of what had happened recently, talking with the other officers . . . whatever he felt was important to do. He desired always to give his best, to do the job to his utmost.

One of Bill’s outstanding qualities was kindness—caring for and taking care of other people. His time in the military gave him a connection that enabled him to secure hard-to-get tickets or special passes, and he generously shared them with others who didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy that kind of inside access. Sarah’s mother no longer drives much, and when Bill had extra time in the middle of the day, he’d visit her and take a treat along or invite her out to lunch.

“I was always the structure and the routine and the discipline,” Sarah says, “and Bill was always calm but also the spontaneous, fun one. He’d buy tickets to things or plan a getaway. Every holiday, the kids would get things like heart cookies for Valentine’s Day or flowers for something else. He’d bring them doughnuts on Saturday just because. He spoiled us all!”

Sarah shared that Bill was especially good with their three children: daughter Teagan (11 in October) and sons Trigg (9) and Tatum (7). If Sarah and Teagan got into one of those escalated times that most moms know happen with pre-teen daughters, Bill would call Teagan into another room and spend some quiet time with her, bringing things back to a calm state.fun one. He’d buy tickets to things or plan a getaway. Every holiday, the kids would get things like heart cookies for Valentine’s Day or flowers for something else. He’d bring them doughnuts on Saturday just because. He spoiled us all!”

Bill loved to buy gifts for the children or do things to please Sarah or them. He surprised Sarah by having the Simply Hers cover article about her framed for her to keep. Bill adored his family and was very proud of them. “He was always the one to post things on social media about what we did or what the kids did. Not to brag, but just because he was so proud of them. Bill did things for people not to show off or get attention but because he wanted to make people happy.”

As a community, we are grateful for having had this strong, kind, caring man in a position of protecting and helping us. We grieve his loss, but we also celebrate his life.