Eldin Butts

Lifelong Eureka resident Eldin R. Butts, 79, died April 19, 2005, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

He was born on Aug. 5, 1925, at Eureka, to David Wallace and Adaline Doble Butts.

Eldin grew up in the West Kootenai and attended the Tooley Lake School.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after his honorable discharge, returned to Eureka where he worked with his brothers cutting ties for the railroad.

They also cut Christmas trees.

Eldin worked for the U.S. Postal Service driving the West Kootenai and Gateway routes for 18 years.

He also worked for the U.S. Forest Service doing maintenance work and as a dispatcher.

An avid outdoorsman, Eldin loved to hunt and fish. It was said that "he would catch fish in a barrel."

His wife, two brothers and one sister preceded him in death.

Survivors include his children Larry Butts and his wife Faye, Eureka and Faith Erickson and her husband Leigh, also of Eureka; sister Edith Hudson and her husband Dale, Eureka; half-brothers Elden Marvel and his wife Donna, Kalispell and Ned Butts and his wife Tillie, Fortine; half-sister Cheri Butts and her husband Dan, Whitefish, Ella Evinrude and her husband Larry, Kalispell, Neva Duff and her husband Robert, Blairemore, B.C., grandchildren Carrie Schmidt and her husband Dale, Eureka; Russell Butts and his wife Jennifer, Whitefish; Janice George, Seeley Lake, Jennifer Armstrong and her husband David, Eureka, and great-grandchildren David Hayden, Emily, Brandon, Courtney, Kristen and Travis.

Graveside services will be conducted on Saturday, April 30, at the Eureka Cemetery.

Local arrangements are by the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home in Eureka.