Karen Ruth Butler-Hawkins

April 04, 1941 - March 15, 2012

Karen Ruth Butler-Hawkins

April 04, 1941 - March 15, 2012

Obituary

Karen Ruth (Thompson) Butler-Hawkins passed from this life into the arms of the Lord on March 15, 2012 after fighting a courageous battle against cancer. She was born on April 4, 1941 to Eldon C. and Rosalie Thompson. She was raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma and graduated from Muskogee High Class of 59. She attended Hillcrest School of Nursing and graduated August 1962. She began her nursing career at Hillcrest. On December 21, 1963 she married Charles L. Butler. She and Charlie founded Butler’s Chapel of the Roses in 1966. She continued to work at Hillcrest through the 60s and 70s where she rose to become Head Nurse of the Recovery Room. In 1976 she and Charlie started Goodtime Charlie’s Conglomeration, a unique restaurant in Tulsa. By 1980 Karen and Charlie decided to move their family to Rogers, Arkansas. While in Arkansas Karen used her nursing skills to obtain work in several different settings. She was a claims supervisor for a health insurance company and an Occupational Health Nurse at the Little Debbie factory in Gentry, Arkansas. Her children loved this job the most because there was always Little Debbies at the house. In 1988, she and Charlie made their way back to Tulsa where she worked in Occupational Health at McDonnell-Douglas, Home Health for Hillcrest and finally as a wound care management nurse at Oklahoma State University Med Center. After a near 50 year career providing care and love to her patients she retired in April 2011. Mom was preceded in death by her parents and husband Charlie. Karen again found joy when she remarried James E. Hawkins of Wilburton on February 14, 2008. During the last five years of her life she divided her time between Tulsa and Wilburton building her dream home on a peaceful, secluded piece of land in the foothills of the Sanbois Mountains. She is survived by her husband James, her children and spouses Chera Hereford (Jim), Charles L. Butler III (Corie), Chad Butler (Paula), Charles R. Butler (Veronica) Sharon Segerblom (Tick), Steve Moon (Rachel) and seventeen grandchildren. She also leaves behind five brothers: Dr. Patrick Thompson, Michael J. Thompson, Dr. Eldon C. “Tommy” Thompson, Daniel M. Thompson, Marty Thompson and a great host of nieces, nephews and friends. She loved life, gardening, cooking and being surrounded by family. Whenever we feel the wind in our hair or the warmth of the sun on our faces, we will feel her presence and know we are loved. Condolences may be sent through the guestbook on this page.

Funeral Service

  • Date & Time: March 19, 2012 (11:00 AM)
  • Venue: Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory
  • Location: 2103 E 3rd St Tulsa, OK 74104 - (Get Directions)

Visitation

  • Date & Time: March 18, 2012 (12:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
  • Venue: Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory
  • Location: 2103 E 3rd St Tulsa, OK 74104 - (Get Directions)

Visitation

  • Date & Time: March 18, 2012 (1:00 PM - 4:00 PM)
  • Venue: Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory
  • Location: 2103 E 3rd St Tulsa, OK 74104 - (Get Directions)

Visitation

  • Date & Time: March 17, 2012 (11:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
  • Venue: Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory
  • Location: 2103 E 3rd St Tulsa, OK 74104 - (Get Directions)

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29 responses to Karen Ruth Butler-Hawkins

  1. I happy to have known Karen and to attend her service. It was a great pleasure to hear her children share such sweet memories of her. I know she was proud of all of you. I graduated from HMC one year after Karen, worked for her in he Recovery Room at HMC, saw her at the last all school reunion. We shared years of early motherhood ( in our 30's) and interesting nursing careers. She was most kind and thoughtful. I have great memories.

  2. Libby Cannon says:

    I only got the pleasure of knowing Karen for a few short years. I worked with her and then kept in touch after we moved to different places in life. Karen was always happy and friendly and that is how I will remember her. HUGS for her loving family and friends missing her very much.

  3. Debbie Cupps says:

    I worked with Karen at HIllcrest and then again at Girling. Her patients and peers loved her. I was lucky to share an office with her at Girling for almost 3 years. She talked so lovingly of her children and her God, her church work and her flowers and her cooking. I was lucky enough also for Karen to bring lunch often and share. I am a better person for having known her and I am blessed to count her as a friend.

  4. I'll forever be grateful for the many times Karen embraced me as one of her own. Her liove will remain pure in my eternal soul.

  5. Karen was a year ahead of me at Central High and I knew her as "sweet Karen Thompson." What a pleasure to work with her at the Muskogee hospital just after she graduated from nursing school during the summer before my senior year in college. I was working as an aide in pediatrics, and I will never forget accompanying her into a young boy's room who was to receive an injection. He cried and resisted UNTIL…Karen smiled at him and told him it would be like a little pinch and would be overwith. He stopped crying, smiled up at her, got the "pinch" and that was it! The following spring, I met a young man in Salina, KS (my first teaching job)who, when I told him I was from Muskogee, asked if I by any chance knew "Karen Thompson." He had known her in college! What a lovely person she was and I'm sure a wonderful nurse throughout her long career. My sympathy to you.

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