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Ralph Kent (Skip) Butler

Posted 2023-11-06 by Pat R
Wickenburg Sun (Wickenburg, Arizona)
Thursday, June 22, 1972, p. 15

Hundreds Pay Respects to Deputy Skip Butler

More than 500 sorrowing friends, including law enforcement officers from
throughout this section of Arizona, gathered in the Community Center at
10:45 a.m. Thursday, June 15, to pay their respects to Deputy Sheriff
Ralph Kent (Skip) Butler, who lost his life in an automobile accident
while on duty the morning of June 11.

The Rev. Bert Follmar, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, of which
Skip was a member, conducted the services. Burial was in the Wickenburg
Cemetery with Sgt. James Mason of the Wickenburg Sheriff's office
conducting the graveside ritual of the Fraternal Order of Police, at the
request of the bereaved family. Deputy Butler was a member of that
state-wide organization.

Pall bearers were officers who had served with Skip here. They were
Deputy Sheriffs William Newton and Paul Peterson; Sgt. Karl Miller and
Ray Hoffman of the Wickenburg Police Department and Ron Goodson and Bob
Schuette, both former deputy sheriffs now with the Arizona Highway
Patrol.

Sheriff John Mumert headed the large Phoenix Sheriff's Office group
attending the services which included Capt. Clarence Baldwin, Capt. Tom
Melcher, Capt. Ralph McMillan and Capt. Joe Love.

Also attending the services were Chief of Police Arthur F. Fairbanks,
Tempe.

Chief of Police Harry Vandervort, Prescott; Chief of Police Louis H.
Johnson, Peoria; Ray Field, Senior Inspector of the U.S. Border Patrol
and J. Vemon Tuckey of the FBI. Lt. Ron Hoffman headed the 12-man honor
guard from the Arizona Highway Patrol. Escorting the long procession
from the Community Center to the cemetery were three motorcycle
officers from the Phoenix Police Department; two from the Tempe Police
Department and two from the Arizona State University Police Department.





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