Jean Wenzel Butler

AIKEN –Jean Wenzel Butler, widow of Ernest Butler Jr., passed away on October 23, 2015 after an extended illness. Funeral services will be held on Monday morning, Oct. 26, 2015 at 11:00 AM at Memorial Baptist Church with the Reverend Charles Jenkins officiating. The interment will follow at the Graniteville Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Claire “Jean” Wenzel was born in her grandfather’s hospital (Dr. John Wenzel) in Meyersdale, PA on September 30, 1932, the daughter of the late Warden Dowe and Claire McKinley Wenzel. The family lived in Meyersdale, PA and Moorefield, WV until her senior year of high school. The Wenzel Family moved to Aiken in 1949 for her Dad to work with the Kaolin industry. Jean graduated from Aiken High School in June 1950. In December 1950 she married Ernest Butler Jr and became forever his loving wife. Jean was a trusted employee of the Farmers and Merchants Bank for over 40 years. She retired in 1993 as Bank Treasurer and Secretary to the President. Jean was a near charter member of Memorial Baptist Church, serving as a pre-school Sunday school teacher, and in other roles over the years. She was a faithful member of the Willing Workers Sunday School class, and attended faithfully until just recently. Jean held a lifelong interest in genealogy, and spent many hours during her retirement preserving family history and photographs. Jean is survived by her caring daughter, Donna Butler (Mike) Hendrick and son, Tommy (Chris) Butler, Aiken; two loving grandchildren, Thomas (Melissa) Butler Jr., Aiken and Peter Butler, Irmo SC. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by brothers, William, Donald, and Mark Wenzel. Memorials may be directed to Memorial Baptist Church, 3100 Vaucluse Rd, Aiken, SC 29801. Napier Funeral Home, 315 Main St., Graniteville, S.C. 29829 is in charge of the funeral arrangements Mrs. Butler’s online Guest Book may be signed by logging on to www.napierfuneralhome.com.