Memories of You

DECEMBER 9, 1968 ~ MAY 19, 2012(AGE 43)

Paul was born Dec. 9th 1968 in Santa Barbara, California. He was taken home to Santa Maria, California nine weeks later by loving parents Ted and Pat Butler, who adopted him as their son.
The family moved to Kent four years later where they became active members at Kent First Baptist Church. Paul, Kyle Poehlman, and Mark Simpson were known to be the terrors of the church nursery. Some two years later he and his parents welcomed his 6 month old sister, Robin, from Korea.
Paul attended Pine Tree Elementary and participated in various sports, including a club swim team based at the Kent Meridian Swimming Pool. He then moved on to Sequoia Junior High where he continued to be active in track & football. Paul graduated from Kentwood High School in 1987. There, he played football as a running back, and one year exceeded 1000 yards in rushing for his junior varsity team. He continued his education at Green River Community College where he studied Law Enforcement.
After high school graduation, Paul worked at Johnny’s Market where he met Gwen Erber. They enjoyed spending time with their friends and family and playing softball and soccer together. They knew it was true love and made the commitment official… by buying a truck together! They were married in 1990 and lived in Auburn. Shortly after, Paul and Gwen purchased his childhood home in Kent. Since then, they have remodeled and landscaped it extensively into a beautiful home.
Paul became a commercial driver and has worked for over 20 years at several beverage distributing companies, most recently, Columbia Distribution. His job had him waking at 2am and, at times not returning home until after 6pm.
Their first son, Kiernan Paul, was born in 1991, their second, Keefe Theodore, was born in 1993. Their daughter, Delaney Laura, was born in 1997. When asked about his kids, Paul would simply say, “They are excellent.”
Paul loved to fish. There never seemed to be enough time for fishing. His parents remember his first fishing experience, with Paul sitting patiently dangling the line with no hook, in an ornamental pond, with no fish. As an adult, you could see him getting up at the crack of dawn, attaching his head lamp and then stomping down a path, to ensure that he got just the right spot for catching the salmon, steelhead, or whatever other fish were around.
Paul owned a motorcycle for the past four years and loved to ride. He and Delaney enjoyed taking the bike out on back roads for an afternoon cruise. Paul helped coach some of the kids’ sports, and was always on the sidelines yelling words of encouragement, even if they were making dirt piles in the middle of the soccer field. Paul and his kids all studied karate and each earned a Black Belt at Karate Northwest.
During his teenage years, Paul accepted the Lord as his Savior, and was baptized in the Cedar River. He was proud to be a “river Baptist.” More recently, Paul was quietly active in Band of Brothers, a group of men at Kent First committed to service in the church and community. Without fanfare, Paul quietly served others in need. Through his family and the BOB ministry, Paul came to know the Lord on a deeper, more personal level.
Paul leaves behind a wonderful legacy and although he leaves a huge hole in our lives, he will forever be remembered as a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.
Memorials in Paul’s name may be made to the ministry of B.O.B. (Band of Brothers), Kent First Baptist Church.
Paul is survived by his loving wife Gwen; sons, Kiernan & Keefe; daughter, Delaney; parents, Ted & Pat Butler; sister, Robin M. Tkach and her husband Brian; and also niece & nephew, Avery & Nolan Tkache

A 43-year-old motorcyclist who died early Saturday after crashing near the intersection of state Routes 167 and 410 near Sumner has been identified as Paul Butler.

Butler, of Kent, was riding a 2008 Kawasaki Concours 1400 North on SR 167 when he lost control and struck a guardrail about 12:45 a.m. Saturday.