Hillsdale Sheriff's Deputy Buried as Thousands Gather to Pay Their Respects

HILLSDALE, MI – Hillsdale County Deputy Sheriff William Henry Butler Jr. wasn't alone as he and his family traveled to Lakeview Cemetery for his burial.

Thousands of friends, family, supporters and law enforcement officers from across Michigan gathered in Hillsdale on Thursday, July 3, to honor and show respect for Butler, who was killed last week in the line of duty.

An estimated 2,500 people attended the funeral service in the massive, classical Christ Chapel on the Hillsdale College campus. Outside the chapel, more than 100 police cars and motorcycles were parked, ready to escort Butler to his final resting place, two miles away.

Hundreds of Hillsdale County residents marched along the procession route, waving American flags and greeting the protesters. Some held signs of support that read, “We are praying for you,” while a long line of flashing red, white and blue lights filled the route.

Related: Community, law enforcement mourn funeral of fallen Michigan sheriff's deputy

“It’s a way to thank a fallen hero,” said Brenda Frank, 62, of Osseo, who stood somberly along Bacon Road, dressed in red, white and blue. She had tears in her eyes as the procession passed.

Butler, 51, died Thursday, June 27, after a man shot him while he was helping a detective sergeant conduct a traffic stop near Osseo, 8 miles (13 kilometers) southeast of Hillsdale. The man escaped and later died in a shootout with police, Michigan State Police said.

Related: Deputy fatally shot during traffic stop identified as Iraq War veteran, father of 5

Butler served in the sheriff's office's highway patrol, marine division and corrections divisions during his time with the department, said Capt. Kevin Bradley of the Hilldale County Sheriff's Office.

Before his death, Butler had completed training to become a crime scene reconstructionist and was ready to begin investigating serious car accidents, Bradley said.

“He was a model assistant. I couldn’t ask for more,” Bradley said. “Butler has spent so many years with us and has so many more to come. He will be greatly missed.”

Along the procession route to and near his grave, a large American flag was hung between two fire ladder trucks.

He received military honors with a gun salute and the playing of Taps. But before that, a police helicopter flew over the grave to pay its last respects to Butler.

For more than two decades, Butler was a member of the National Guard and served in the Iraq War.

Butler's friends and colleagues mourn the loss, but try to remain hopeful and remember better times.

“He was a great human being. He served his country. He served his community. He loved his family. He could have been arrogant, but he never was,” said his friend Jason Woodard. “Bill was a close childhood friend. He has so many great memories. The first time I saw MTV was at his house.”

Woodard remembered the last time he'd seen him. It was at a gas station in Battle Creek. They hadn't seen each other in years, but it seemed like no time had passed.

“I was on my way to work and he was dressed in his military uniform to go serve over the weekend,” Woodard said. “We had a great conversation and could have talked all day. He was very excited about his wife and his beautiful family and everything that was going on between them. He was the kind of longtime friend that you might not see for years and when you did, he would strike up a conversation like you never missed a beat.”

This loss also affected many people who did not know Butler personally.

Mary Stantz, 60, of Woodstock Township in Lenawee County, painted the windows of her GMC Envoy. “In memory of Congressman Butler, RIP” and “Stand by the Blue” are written in white and blue letters.

She drove the SUV, decorated with blue ribbons, to the cemetery on Wednesday.

“I’m a patriot,” said Stantz, who has lived most of her life in Hillsdale County. Her porch and yard are dotted and draped with American flags and banners. She has taken down the largest of them since Butler’s death and planted a hand-drawn memorial sign in her yard.

Her father was in the U.S. Navy, and whenever she sees police officers, she thanks them for their service, she said. “They're here to help us, not hurt us.”

She lamented the loss and the actions of the shooter, who had ridden dirt bikes with her son when they were teenagers years ago. “It’s so sad. It really upsets me,” she said. “You don’t do that kind of thing.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on July 3 to honor Butler and his sacrifice.

Related: Whitmer orders flags lowered in honor of slain Hillsdale County congressman

“Deputy Sheriff Butler was a proud family man, small business owner, and dedicated officer who served both his nation and his neighbors in uniform,” Whitmer said in a statement. “As a sheriff’s deputy, he served Hillsdale County admirably, making a real difference in the lives of the people he loved most. As we mourn his loss, our thoughts are with his wife, Sarah, their five children, their two grandchildren, and all who knew him and served alongside him in Hillsdale and abroad.”

Butler graduated from Hillsdale High School in 1991 and began working at the Bailey Factory in Hillsdale before joining the Army, according to his obituary. He served in the National Guard for 26 years and later worked as a recruiter. Butler then joined the sheriff's office, where he served for 12 years.

When he wasn't patrolling Hillsdale County, Butler was also a broker-owner and real estate agent for Pure Realty Team, a subsidiary of Hillsdale Real Estate.

He enjoyed traveling, boating, fishing and spending time with his family. Congressman Butler is survived by Sarah Butler and her children, grandchildren, parents and sister.

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