Ms. Colleen J. Butler

Colleen Joy (Magouirk) Butler, 92, entered through the gates of Heaven into her eternal life on February 1, 2022. She was born the daughter of Marion and Edna Magouirk on July 30, 1929 at home on Pine Island, Louisiana the 11th out of 12 children, 10 of which were girls. Colleen became a Christian as a young girl while attending Mount Gilead Baptist Church out in the country not far from her home. She had very special memories of going with her father each Sunday to church and it was his example of God in his life that built the firm foundation of her Christ centered life. During the war, when gasoline and tires were rationed, she and her father would be the only ones in the church as he would unlock the doors, light the furnace and they would sit on the front row reading their Bibles. Colleen once asked her father, “Daddy, why do we come to church when we know we will be the only ones here?” He wisely replied that if someone doesn’t open the church doors on Sunday morning, they may never open again and we can’t allow that to happen. She never forgot that and committed herself to take her own family to church every time the church doors were opened. This is the dedication she carried her entire life and instilled in us, her children, as well as those around her.

Colleen’s life was an exciting one. Graduating from Vivian High School with honors as a girl of 16, she moved to the big city of Shreveport, got a job at Western Union that sent her to San Francisco then to Chicago. While in Chicago she and her girlfriend decided to become nurses and took a train back to Shreveport to enroll in Shreveport Charity Hospital’s RN program. Upon graduation, again with honors, she started her married life with Maurice, moving to Dallas and soon after gave birth to her three babies.

Colleen worked at Parkland Hospital when she and Maurice first arrived in Dallas, then Methodist Hospital for many years. While her children were young, Colleen worked part time for their Pediatrician Dr. Eugene Hardy in Arlington. As her children grew older, she became the head nurse of the cardiology floor at Arlington Memorial Hospital for over 20 years. She gained well deserved respect and admiration from her patients, coworkers and the physicians. She was honored many times for her outstanding service as an RN, but with true humility was embarrassed by it all.

Colleen taught herself to play the piano and became an accomplished pianist who enjoyed playing into her 90’s. As a young teen during the war, she played the piano for Mount Gilead church services when the regular pianist became a WAC. She so loved the old time hymns which she felt best expressed her deep devotion to God and her Christian life. Of course she’d throw in a few of Ernest Tubb’s and Hank William’s favorites too!
Colleen’s greatest legacy was as a Christian. She brought her husband, children, grandchildren and their families to knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ. She truly was one who, by an exemplary life, met every challenge confident in God’s guidance and His will. She had no vices. Colleen was a member of Mayfield Road Baptist Church in Arlington for 41 years.

For those of us still here, we are left with the wonderful memories of a selfless, loving, giving human being. Our lives are forever changed because of her. Anyone’s life touched by her is better for it.

Colleen was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice, her parents, 11 siblings and her grandson Jason Butler.

She is survived by her son, David (and Yvonne), her daughter Gloria Joy Sherrell and Kami Butler (and Jana). She is also survived by 12 grandchildren, 19 Great Grandchildren and six Great-Great Grandchildren.

We rejoice in the knowledge that our dear Mother and Mammaw is where she spent every moment of her life to be, in everything she did. Her light will continue to shine on all of us for the rest of our lives.