Douglas “Doug” Elliott Butler, of Purcell, Oklahoma, died on January 4, 2024, at Norman Regional Hospital. Doug was born January 24, 1938, to Douglas L. Butler and Helen (Craig) Butler in Waynesboro, VA. He had one sister, Patsy.
At the age of one he and his family moved to Charlottesville, VA. After graduating from high school, he joined the Navy in August of 1955 at only 17 years old. He attended boot camp and teleman school in Bainbridge, MD. His Navy years took him to Coronado, CA, Brooklyn, NY, and Long Beach, CA.
He served in Korea, Japan and 4 tours in Vietnam. His last stop in the Navy was in Alameda, California where he met the love of his life Patricia Nelson. They married in October 1967. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1971.
Pat came from a large family so Doug said he gained a family when he married her.
They made their home in California where they enjoyed attending Oakland A’s baseball and the Oakland Raiders football games. Doug was also a big St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Doug and Pat loved spending time with their nieces and nephews in California and going camping in the “high country”. In 1994 they decided to move to Oklahoma where Pat had more family. He loved to hunt and fish with his nieces and nephews here in Oklahoma. Another favorite pastime was going to the casino with Pat.
Doug is preceded in death by his parents and his wife Pat.
Doug is survived by one sister-in-law, Mary Jane Fadely Senora, California and many nieces and nephews whom he loved and cherished as his family.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 12, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Browns Funeral Service in Durant, Oklahoma with Military Honors. Interment will be in Highland Cemetery in Durant with Jayden Percell, Jaron Percell, Kolbee Percell, Rowdy Phillips, Keith Foraker, and Kevin Foraker serving as pallbearers.
