—3— In memoriam: Elsie Marie White ‘Rusty’ Butler, 1922-2008 Elsie “Rusty” Butler, spouse of Professor Emeritus Kenneth W. Butler, died on Sept. 9, 2008. Her family and a large number of friends celebrated her life on Sept. 13 at a Liturgy of Holy Eucharist offered at All Saints Episcopal Church in Portland. Rusty is survived by her husband of 56 years, Ken Butler, who came to the University in 1953 as director of Audio-Visual Services, and subsequently advanced to be assistant director of the Millar Library, a position he held until retirement in 1987. He served in 1975-76 as interim Library director. Ken was a founding member and officer of our retirement organization in which he and Rusty actively participated. Elsie White descended from Oregon Trail pioneers who had journeyed to the Willamette Valley to obtain Donation Land Claims in 1851. She was born on Jan. 3, 1922, and lived on the family homestead near Aurora, where she attended a one-room school before the Whites settled in Portland in 1928. After finishing studies at Rose City Park Elementary School and Holy Child Academy, a full scholarship enabled her to earn a bachelor’s degree (1944) at Marylhurst College. Following wartime shipyard employment, she earned a degree in library science at the University of Washington, and returned to Oregon to take library positions in Bend and Portland. In 1950 Rusty’s adventuresome spirit and intellectual curiosity prompted her to seek library experience at Leeds in the United Kingdom, where she met a handsome young local librarian, Kenneth Butler. In due course, they decided to marry and, after Ken obtained an employment offer from Multnomah County, they traveled together to Portland where they married on September 5, 1952. Throughout their years of marriage Rusty and Ken immersed themselves in busy professional librarianship careers. After his appointment at Portland State, Ken earned B.A. (1953) and M.A. (1957) degrees at the University of Portland. Rusty worked in the children’s collection of the Multnomah County Library until her retirement in 1987, although she took time out for rearing their three children. Upon their retirements, Ken and Rusty endowed the Portland State University Library Faculty Service Award, which annually recognizes a nominated Library faculty member’s outstanding performance. This award constitutes an enduring tribute to the Butler family. The 2008 Butler Award went to Assistant Professor Linda Absher, humanities reference librarian, for her liaison achievements with the Departments of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Community Studies, and Applied Linguistics. The University community will be forever indebted to Rusty and Ken for their generous support of the University and its educational mission. For my part, I am one of many retirees who benefited from Ken’s assistance with personal instructional efforts. Our organization sends its heartfelt condolences to our colleague, Kenneth, and his daughters, Margaret, Gillian, and Catherine, and their families. Remembrances may be given to the Multnomah County Library for purchasing children’s literature. Rusty’s obituary appeared in the Oregonian on Sept. 12, 2008. Ken Butler will continue to reside at his home, 3645 S.E. 38th Ave., Portland 97207. His telephone number is 503-293-2858. He would be pleased to receive visits and hear from his friends. —Victor C. Dahl, Professor Emeritus of History
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