John Sebastian Butera

Published 8:28 am Monday, March 12, 2018

June 30, 1933 – March 6, 2018

John died at home on March 6, 2018, of complications from cancer. He was 84. He was born June 30, 1933, in Starkville, Colorado, the only child of Tony and Rose Butera. The family moved to Los Angeles, California, when John was a youth. He graduated from Cathedral High School and joined the Army, serving in France during the Korean War. John returned to Los Angeles and attended Compton College.

On April 17, 1968, John married Ruth Mock in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had two children, Jennifer Norberg of Portland and Vince Butera of Bend. John worked in transportation logistics and continued that vocation when they moved in 1977 to Springfield, Oregon, where they lived until retirement.

The family enjoyed camping and road trips throughout the west. John and Ruth moved in 2002 to Redmond, where one of their first commitments was a gym membership, which led them to a new nucleus of friends with whom they pursued hiking, biking, playing cards and RV excursions. One of their favorite destinations was the Metolius River.

John was an accomplished woodworker, a challenged golfer and an avid fly fisherman. He was proud of his Sicilian heritage. He was also a Meals on Wheels volunteer.

Memorial services for John Sebastian Butera will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Redmond on Saturday, March 24 at 11:00AM. The family suggests memorial contributions to Zion Lutheran Church.