Obituary of Josephine Butler

Josephine Butler, of Loughman, Florida passed away on January 5, 2014. She was 73 years old. She was born on May 21, 1940 in Ozark, Alabama to Melba Chapman and has been a resident of Loughman for some 47 years. Josephine worked as a truck stop waitress as well as a cook at the Bishop Grey Inn and she was a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church. Josephine had 38 years of service with the fire department and 24 of those years actively fighting fires, taking care of mutual aid support and also as treasurer. She still found the time to take care of the other fire fighters by getting them refreshments during long fire calls and preparing too many to count spaghetti dinners. Josephine wore many "hats", other than her fire helmet, she was the cake server and chief bottle washer. And she was also known as "Mama Jo" to many in the fire service, in fact a couple of fellow firemen chased her down I-4, at least they thought it was her, for a "Mama Jo" recipe, only to find out it wasn't her. "Mama Jo" was known as well in the community as Josephine loved taking care of children. Also she was known as quite the cake decorator, which brought her much joy, one particular cake was over 9 feet long. One of her little admirers had asked her if she had an oven that folded out to be able to make such a cake. And not to forget her corn dogs for the annual Halloween Carnival, folks would line up for them. Josephine is predeceased by her husband, Wallace Marvin Butler; mother Melba Chapman Cotton; sons, Roland David Butler and Michael Butler. She is survived by her children, Bobby Cobb and his wife Joy of Auburndale, FL, Norris Cobb and his wife Laura of Cedar Grove, KY, Darla Butler of Lakeland, FL, Wallace Butler and his wife Bridget of Anchorage, AK, Donna Butler of Kissimmee, FL, Vickie Ritsema of Loughman, FL, Joseph Butler and his wife April of Kissimmee, FL; sister, Sarah Day of Sarasota, FL; brother Johnny Cotton and his wife Gail of Davenport, FL; 17 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm and the funeral service will be on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 11:00 am at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City, FL with Pastor Brad Bennett of Auburndale Community Church officiating. Final resting place will be at Oak Hill Cemetery.