Helen Ruth Butterfield

Helen Ruth Butterfield was called home to be with the Lord on April 7, 2017. She was born in Bloomington, Illinois to loving parents Gustave and Rose Krentel and was the middle of 3 sisters. As a child of the Great Depression, she learned to be frugal and make do with little. Ruth married her high school sweetheart, Max Butterfield, in April 1943 while he was enlisted in the Army Air Corp at Santa Ana Army Airbase in California. They started married life living in a converted garage in Newport Beach, CA. Being raised to enjoy the outdoors, she would frequently swim from boat mooring to boat mooring in Newport Harbor. Following WWII, Ruth and Max moved back to Bloomington and then Peoria where they lived until Max retired from Caterpillar Tractor Co. They retired to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Ruth enjoyed family picnics, camping, walking, hiking and golf which she reluctantly gave up at age 80. Saturday and Sunday afternoons she could always be found watching her favorite players on TV. Ruth moved to Maryville in 2002 to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law. She fell in love with east Tennessee and began hiking about 60-65 miles a year in the Nation Park. At age 87, health forced her to retire from the trails she so loved. Ruth was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church and Sparkplugs Sunday School Class. She is survived by her beloved youngest sister Betty Lanham, son David and wife Geri Butterfield, daughter Barbara and son-in-law Bob Foglesong, 2 granddaughters, 2 great-grandsons and many nieces and nephews. On Wednesday, April 26, 2017 from 9:30 until 10:30 AM in the Asbury Place Assisted Living Chapel there will be a receiving of friends followed by a short memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Fairview United Methodist Church Food Pantry, 2508 Old Niles Ferry Rd, Maryville, TN 37803 or to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Helen Ruth Butterfield please visit our Sympathy Store.