With sadness and deep gratitude, we announce the passing of John C. Butterfield, a true renaissance man. John left this world on a beautiful desert morning in January. Born to hardworking pioneer parents, Betty and Preston Butterfield, whose lineages are traced back to the founding of Herriman. John loved telling stories about growing up on the family farm and the long, hard hours he worked alongside his parents, and all of his dear siblings. A farmer's foundation gave him so much; he embraced hard work, humility, and a relentless growth mentality throughout his life.

Gritty and determined from an early age, John was also the family jokester with a playful sense of humor. His younger siblings fondly remember his ability to turn menial farm chores into adventurous fun. After leaving the farm, he built a fascinating life that spanned several phases, including working ranches, shoeing horses, building his own home, and founding his own concrete business. He met his wife in 1974, and they never looked back, together they built a life of laughter and hard work.

Never shying away from new challenges, John went back to college at 37, while working full time at the Utah Department of Transportation. He earned a degree from the University of Utah in Civil Engineering with high honors. He approached his career with the same fervor and competency that defined his character. His work as an engineer around the State of Utah was second only to his reputation as a truly decent mentor and co-worker.

Beyond his professional achievements, John had many interests and talents. He loved baseball and taught his daughter to play a mean game of catch. He also enjoyed philosophy (especially the Stoics), playing the banjo, guitar, oil painting, working on his hobby sheep farm, and shooting the shit. One of his passions was firearms. He spent considerable hours learning about their mechanics and their history, reloading his own ammunition, and perfecting his shooting ability up until he passed. His knowledge was vast and precise, much like the rest of his pursuits.

He was extremely well read and particularly loved old West and Native American history. He taught his grandson to count in Apache before he could count in English.

John could truly do it all. He always had a unique, deeply knowledgeable perspective and with a twinkle in his eye, a well-timed joke. His mischievousness will be sorely missed by his wife, daughter, son-in-law, two grandsons, three brothers, a sister, and many great friends. His son preceded him in death and while he bore his loss nobly, we know he missed him dearly every day.

I hope you are wandering through the cosmos on horseback, Dad. Your journey was extraordinary, and we are forever grateful to have witnessed it. Tippy toes.