Clifford Lyle (Butch) Thomas Obituary (1943 - 2019)

Butch Thomas, 76, of Downs, passed away Wednesday (Dec. 11, 2019) at Aledo Rehab in Aledo. His Celebration of Life will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Downs Fire Station. Private inurnment will be at a later date at Hopewell Cemetery in Downs. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Village of Downs Food Pantry, P.O. Box 18, Downs, IL 61736. Butch was born March 21, 1943 in Chicago. He is the son of Delmar and Helen Ester Rutledge Thomas. Surviving Butch are his son, Daniel Thomas, and two daughters, Kellie (Larry) Milby and Jodi Fuentes, all of Downs. Surviving grandchildren are Adria (Anthony) Marlet (Calhoun, La.), Luke (Xavia) Milby (Austin, Texas), Jacob (Kendall) Milby (Cooksville), and Evan and Maya Fuentes (Downs). Also surviving are three great-grandchildren. Butch is also survived by his brother, Herb Thomas (Bloomington), and two sisters, Sandy Rider (Bloomington) and Patricia Richards (Mountain Home, AR). Butch was preceded in death by his parents and his stepsister, Pamela Shartzer. He owned and operated Thomascraft Autobody and was known as a Corvette specialist. He spent many years as a volunteer fireman and chief of the department. He was honored July 4, 2001 as "A Hero of the Village of Downs." His greatest passion was to help others.