Obituary of Reverend Gwendolyn Hannah Rebecca Butler

Reverend Gwendolyn Hannah Rebecca Butler

Barachois Brook, NL

February 21, 1939 - May 11, 2024

It’s with great sorrow we wish to announce the passing of our sister the Reverend Gwendolyn Hannah Rebecca Butler. Gwendolyn passed away peacefully at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in Stephenville, Newfoundland on Saturday, May 11.  She is predeceased by her parents, Gwendolyn Butler (nee Swyer) & Temple Butler; sisters Rose Marie Butler & Althea Lewis, and brothers Robert Butler & Hugh Forbes. She is survived by sisters, Evelyn & Mollie and brother James; three nieces and five nephews along with grand nieces and nephews and cousins in North America and abroad. We want to especially acknowledge our father’s sister Aunt Chris Murphy, residing in Whitby, Ontario. She is the last remaining member of our parents' generation.

Gwendolyn was born in the Stephenville Crossing Cottage Hospital on February 21, 1939. She was quite ill at birth and her parents being concerned she might not survive the night performed an emergency baptism naming her after her mother and two of her great grandmothers, Hannah Vincent Temple, and Rebecca Morris. Despite these early health challenges, Gwendolyn went on to live a rich and fulfilling life with many significant accomplishments. She began her first career as a schoolteacher; even providing early education to younger siblings. With her Aunt Mollie, Gwen taught at a two-room school in the community of Barachois Brook. She left her teaching career behind moving to Toronto beginning her career in the insurance business. She continued in this career in California, residing there for over 40 years. Gwendolyn became the first woman to reach the executive level in any insurance company in California. Later in life, with a calling to further her faith journey, she entered university and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Divinity Studies.  She was ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of California on December 1, 1995.

When her father had passed and her mother declined in health, Gwendolyn took early retirement from her insurance career. She returned to her home in Barachois Brook where she lived the remainder for life in the family home. In the early years, she cared for her mother until her mother died. At the request of the local Anglican Bishop, Gwendolyn decided she would enter the priesthood and was ordained at the church of St Augustine, Stephenville, December 16, 2007. As priest, the Reverend Gwendolyn Butler served as Interim Priest at All Saints Church, Stephenville Crossing. She also provided pastoral ministry to many local residents, in particular those living at the local long-term care facility until her final retirement.

In addition to her many professional career accomplishments Gwendolyn was a woman of wide-ranging interests. She recounted as a young adolescent she did not like doing housework but preferred to be in the woods behind the family home running a snare line for rabbits. In California she took up deep-sea fishing with a 37-foot boat, catching salmon and swordfish. Back at her home in Newfoundland she maintained a beautiful flower filled garden.

She will be missed by many local residents, along with surviving siblings, nephews and nieces and cousins from both sides of the family.

Funeral Services will be held at the Church of the Assumption in Stephenville Crossing on Tuesday, May 21, at 2 PM with Anglican Bishop the Rt Rev Dr John Organ officiating. The service will be followed by interment at the All Saints Church cemetery in Stephenville Crossing. Visitation will be held Monday, May 20, 2-4PM and 7-9PM at Fillatre’s funeral home in Stephenville Crossing.

In lieu of flowers please either make a donation to the Barachois Brook Seniors Centre or to All Saints Church cemetery fund.

For Barachois Brook Seniors Centre please make cheque payable to"

Barachois Horizons Senior Citizens' Club

P. O. Box 100

Barachois Brook, NL

A0N 1B0

For cemetery fund:

Anglican Parish of All Saints

P. O. Box 249

Stephenville Crossing, NL

A0N 2C0

For the cemetery fund a tax receipt will be mailed out to donor at year end.