Nansemond-Princess Anne County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Butler, Helen S. Whitehurst, 1961 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ HELEN SARAH WHITEHURST CARR BUTLER Suffolk - Mrs. Helen Sarah Whitehurst Carr Butler, 105, said to be the oldest resident of Suffolk died early Wednesday in her home, 124 Chestnut St. after a long period of failing health. Mrs. Butler, widow of the Rev. Harrison Holland Butler, a Congregational Christian minister, observed her 105th birthday March 14 at her home, where she lived several years with her daughter, Mrs. Ethel Butler Saunders. BORN IN PRINCESS ANNE She was a native of Princess Anne County, a daughter of William E. and Mrs. Catherine Godfrey Whitehurst. Her father was a captain in the Confederate Army. She was a member of Suffolk Christian Church, its Woman's Fellowship, and Davis circle of King's Daughters. She is survived by two other daughters, Mrs. Grace Carr Duke of Suffolk and Mrs. Nellie Maie Butler Riddick of Washington; a son, Amos Jay Carr of Portland, Maine; 11 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and three great great grandchildren. FUNERAL FRIDAY A funeral service will be conducted in Suffolk Christian Church Friday at 4 p.m. by the Rev. John G. Truitt of Elon College, NC.; the Rev. H.S. Hardcastle of Berea Christian Church, Driver; and the Rev. R.E. Brittle of Bethlehem Christian Church. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. The body will be taken from Hill Funeral Home to the church one hour before the funeral. ****************************************************************************** Mrs. Harrison Butler Succumbs Here at 105 Mrs. Helen Sarah Whitehurst Carr Butler, 105, Suffolk's oldest resident, died today at 7:40 a.m. at her home, 124 Chestnut St., after several months of declining health. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 4 p.m. at the Suffolk Christian Church by Dr. John G. Truitt of Elon. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. The body will be taken from the Hill Funeral Home to the church one hour prior to the service. She was a member of the Suffolk Christian Chruch, the Woman's Fellowship of the church and the Davis Circle of the King's Daughters. She was the daughter of William E. and Catherine Godfrey Whitehurst of Princess Anne County. Her father was a captain in the Confederate army. * * * She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Grace Carr Duke and Mrs. Ethel Butler Saunders of Suffolk, and Mrs. Nellie Marie Butler Riddick of Washington; a son, Amos Jay Carr of Portland, Maine: 11 granchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Although Mrs. Butler had been confined to her home for several years, she maintained an alert interest in her family and friends until her eyesight and hearing began to fail. Her birthdays were widely noted, and great numbers of visitors came to her home. On her 100th birthday, she still did her housekeeping, including the ironing of curtains. At that time, she was no longer able to embroider, but could enjoy numerous television programs. She was the widow of Amos E. Carr, who died in 1880, and Rev. H.H. Butler, a Congregational Christian minister, who died about 35 years ago. She had made her home with Mrs. Saunders for many years. * * * As her years increased, Mrs. Butler was the subject of annual interviews, and did not hesitate to comment on the changing ways and times. People, she said, talk too much and "go" too much, compared to those of earlier generations. And with all the talking, she often said, they were at the same time losing the real art of communication with each other. At 100 years, she had no dietary formula for longevity, saying she ate whatever and as much as she wanted to. She kept abreast of women's fashions and dressed stylishly, with much attention to jewelry. Hairdressers were frequent visitors in her home. [photo, captioned:] Mrs. Butler . . . local woman dead at 105 ****************************************************************************** Mrs. Butler Rites Tomorrow Funeral services for Mrs. Helen Sarah Whitehurst Carr Butler, who died yesterday, will be conducted Friday at 4 p.m. at the Suffolk Christian Church by the Dr. John Truitt of Elon College, N.C.; Dr. H.D. Hardcastle, pastor of Berea Christian Church; and Dr. R.E. Brittle, pastor of Bethlehem Christian church. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Helen Sarah (WHITEHURST CARR; Mrs. Harrison Holland) BUTLER, b. 14 Mar 1856, Princess Anne Co., d. 30 Aug 1961, at home, Suffolk, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block G, Lot 33*), Suffolk, 1 Sep 1961, donated obit, publication unknown, text posted with Find a Grave Memorial #66453500; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 39, No. 206, Wed., Aug. 30, 1961, p. 1; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 39, No. 207, Thurs., Aug. 31, 1961, p. 9 *Additional information: Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt A photo of her gravestone - added by Jake Dog - & a newspaper photo of Mrs. BUTLER at age 100 - added by Martha Fontaine Byrum - are also posted with Find a Grave Memorial #66453500. Her second husband's funeral notice ("Suffolk News," Feb. 18, 1924; reprinted in the "Suffolk News-Herald," Feb. 19, 1934, p. 2) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/b346h1ob.txt Her first husband, Amos E. CARR d. in 1880. Her father, William Edward WHITEHURST, was a Confederate veteran, having risen from private to 1LT, then Captain of Co. G, 16th VA Infantry. Her mother, Catherine Margaret Latham (GODFREY) WHITEHURST (1836 - 1907), is buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Norfolk. Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives, Magnolia list: http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/cemeteries/magnolia/mag-w-y-z.html Catherine's obit ("Virginian-Pilot," Jan. 5, 1907) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/obits/w/whitehur589nob.txt ****************************************************************************** "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 33, No. 62, Mon., Mar. 14, 1955, p. 1 [photo, captioned:] Mrs. Butler With Flowers She Arranged Mrs. Harrison Butler Marks 99th Birthday Just as she his been doing "every morning of my life," Mrs. Harrison Butler got up early today, made up her bed and straightened up her room. But it was with a tingle of excitement that she doesn't often feel that Mrs. Butler tidied things up in her room at 124 Chestnut St. For there were to be a lot of extra callers today - both kinfolks and dear friends. Mrs. Butler, an alert, white-haired lady with a ready laugh, is 99 years old today. Though she hasn't been feeling too chipper of late, she wouldn't think of the idea of cancelling her annual birthday open house. When Mrs. Ethel Saunders, the daughter with whom she lives, asked her about it, Mrs. Butler replied she knew people would want to come to see her today and she wanted them to come. And, if one judged by past years' birthdays, visitors would be calling on Mrs. Butler all through the day and on into the night. Last year the visitors listed totalled over 50. As a matter of fact, yesterday being a Sunday saw more than 20 come to wish her well. LIKES NICE THINGS Among the gifts she got yesterday, were flower, fruit, body powder, a dress and some costume jewelry. As is evident from these items, Mrs. Butler likes nice things. She still has her hair set in a wave every so often and she had it fixed for her birthday several days ago. A beautician comes up to the house to give her the silver curl that she likes. Mrs. Butler hasn't been out of the house more than once or twice in the past eight or 10 years, due to an arthritic condition. Her eyesight and hearing have been failing, too. But she still keeps in good spirits, according to her daughter, who says her mother "has always been a jolly person." "But I don't laugh as much since I've been sick," Mrs. Butler said. Still, it hasn't stopped her from her habit of early rising and fixing up her room. "I don't stay in bed," she said. "It makes you weaker." Though some of the infirmities of old age have set in, Mrs. Butler's mind is still sharp. "I think her mind is clearer than mine," Mrs. Saunders said. "She reminds me of things to do that I'd forget." WANTS TO CHECK During the interview of Mrs. Butler, her daughter supplied some information on the family to the reporter. At one point, Mrs. Butler said, "Ethel, you come here close. I want to hear what you're talking about." And again - "Get it all straight now. You remember all that." In her younger days, Mrs. Butler used to keep active with hobbies like painting and gardening. A large canvas painting she did still decorates the hall wall of her upstairs apartment. Though she can't get out to tend to flowers any more, she still likes to arrange them when her daughter brings a bouquet up. She spends most of the day in her sitting room, listening to the radio or watching the outside world through the window. Friends call on her every once in a while. A minister's widow, Mrs. Butler is especially fond of religious programs and sermons over the radio. HUSBAND WAS PASTOR The Rev. Harrison H. Butler, Mrs. Butler's second husband, died about 30 years ago. He was a Christian pastor who served churches in this area such as Antioch, Mt. Carmel, Cypress and Bethlehem. Mrs. Butler's first husband was a Georgia hotel operator. Mrs. Butler, a Princess Anne County native and the daughter of a captain of the Confederacy, has four living children. They are Mrs. C.B. Duke of Suffolk and Amos J. Carr, a retired Army captain of Maine, by her first husband, and Mrs. Burwell Riddick, Jr., formerly of Suffolk and now living in Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Saunders, by the second husband. There are also 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Have things changed a lot over the years, Mrs. Butler was asked. "Yes, the weather and climate have changed, and people, too," she replied. "People love more pleasure," she said. "They go more now than they used to do." Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/b346s1ob.txt