Peggy Butler

Peggy Ruth Butler, 83, resident of Hollis, OK, went on to meet her Lord and Savior on December 14, 2022, peacefully in her sleep. She was the oldest of four, born to Morris Orville and Treva Margaret (Ponder) Ratterree, on October 2, 1939, in Whitefield, OK. Peggy and her family moved to Dewar, OK, where she attended school until her senior year when they moved to Warner, OK. She played on the basketball team. She won the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow for her school and then went on to graduate as the valedictorian of the class of 1957. Peggy was extremely smart and excelled in all of her education. From high school, she attended Connors State College and received her associates degree in secretarial science. She earned her BS in Business Education from NEOSU in 1965. She began her career at OSU-Technical Institute in 1969. In 1971, she was named the supervisor of the secretarial education department and was instrumental in developing the legal and medical secretarial programs. She developed a reputation for graduating well prepared employees and was able to boast 100% placements for not only internships but also employment. In 1980, she earned her Master’s in Occupational & Adult Education from OSU. Later she was awarded the “Joe Abel’s Award for Excellence in Technical Education,” and in 1998, was awarded the certificate of excellence for exemplary work on the OSU faculty. She also was active on many boards and committees at OSU Tech and was well respected for her knowledge and the graduates she produced. She retired January 2001 and enjoyed traveling the world for the next ten years. She particularly enjoyed Israel (3 times) and Alaska (4 trips). She also traveled to the European continent and in central America. Her favorite trips were with her sister, Judy and also her cousin and close friend, Patty Ponder and Elaine Hillard. In 1959, she married Ted Butler of Morris, OK and to this union was born two daughters, Beth Ann, and Rebecca Lyn. She was the definition of a devoted mother. Not only did she hold down her full-time job, but she also managed to sew all the clothes worn for her and both girls, attended all basketball games, band concerts, and piano recitals, and also had a home-cooked meal on the table every night. She was an active, devoted, and long-time member of First Baptist Church of Morris. Throughout the years she served as a Sunday School teacher, youth group volunteer, and nursery worker. But her joy and where she thrived was in organizing the church wide meals. From funeral meals to potluck fellowships to association dinners, Peggy was at her peak when organizing the menu and overseeing the operation of the kitchen. Most of her family’s memories center around Nana’s home during the holidays. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, her house was beautifully decorated, and she stressed over having enough food for everyone. She would start in the kitchen several days before and continue until after everyone arrived to ensure that all of the dishes were just right and that everyone had something they liked. After the meal, nothing else could happen until the Christmas story from Luke was read and her grandmother’s poem was recited. And everyone learned after their first Christmas with her that we could only open one gift at a time. In 2015, Peggy took a fall that changed her life. Although there were many months of medical issues, with Rebecca overseeing her medical care and Tiffany moving into the house, she was able to remain in her home for the next four years. In 2019 Peggy made the move to Hollis, OK to live with Beth and her family. During the last three years as her health declined, she was able to remain in the house and enjoyed much time with grandchildren and great grandchildren. But her health continued to decline until she no longer wanted to fight. She is a legend within our family, she is missed, and she if forever loved. She is preceded in death by her parents, brother, Morris Frost (Frosty) Ratterree, sister, JudyGale (Ratterree) Silvers, and two son-in-laws, Darrin Smith and Steve Williamson. Peggy is survived by her brother, Jimmy Edward and wife Carol Ratterree, brother-in-law, Terrell Silvers, daughters, Beth Ann (Butler) Penington and husband JD and Rebecca Williamson, grandchildren, Kimberly (Penington) Dugger and husband Michael, Charity (Penington) Martin and husband Clayton, Blake Burruss and wife Rachel, Krista Sands, Holly Chapman and husband Joel, Sarah-Lyn Rausch and husband Steven, Jay Darrin Smith and wife Mackenzie, and Tiffany Adair, great grandchildren, Heather, Abigail, Dexter, Claire, Carson, Bear, Braylee, Addysion, Brycelyn, Gabriel, Andrew, Silas, Jett, and Stanton. Special care giver, Yolanda Campbell. Along with many other nieces and nephews. Visitation for Peggy will be from 1:00 PM to 5:00PM, Sunday, December 18, 2022, at the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home in Okmulgee, OK. Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM, Monday, December 19, 2022, at the First Baptist Church in Morris, OK, with Brother Dave Kelley and Mr. JD Penington officiating. Interment will follow at the Bennett Cemetery in Warner, OK. Arrangements have been entrusted to the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee. Memories, condolences, photos, and videos may be shared with the family on Peggy’s Tribute Page of our website at www.mcclendon-winters.com

Peggy Butler

October 2, 1939 - December 14, 2022