Gertrude M. Butler

Bennington – Gertrude M. Deakin Church Butler, 88, formerly of Beech Street, Bennington, VT, died on Sunday, January 24, 2010, at the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. She had resided in the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington since 1994.
Born in Toronto, Canada, on November 21, 1921, she was the daughter of the late John J. and Florence Neill Deakin. She was the widow of Robert E. Church and Louis T. Butler.
Mrs. Butler moved from Canada to Texas at the age of 5 where she started her education. Her family moved to this area in 1938, and she attended a one-room schoolhouse in North Petersburgh, NY. She married Robert Church in June of 1939, and he passed away in May of 1969. She was a homemaker in her early years and later worked in various places in the area. Mrs. Butler enjoyed bingo, crocheting and crafts. The loves of her life were her grandchildren and her family.
Survivors include her children, Gayle and husband William Rifenburgh and Bruce Church, all of Hoosick Falls, Caroline Church of Brunswick, NY, and Garry and his wife Cinderella Church of Edgewood, MD, her sisters, Louise Brock of Troy, NY, Dorothy Durkee of Cossayuna Lake, NY, and Gladys Styno of Watervliet, NY, a brother, Charles Deakin of Hoosick Falls, along with 21 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, several great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by three infant sons along with two daughters, Diana Church and Catherine Devlin, and two brothers, John and Leonard Deakin.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, January 28, at 10 am in the Robson-Reinfurt Funeral Home, 72 Main Street, Hoosick Falls. Interment followed in the Meadowlawn Cemetery in Petersburgh.
Relatives and friends were invited for visitation at the funeral home on Wednesday from 2 to 4 in the afternoon and 6 to 8 in the evening.
Memorial contributions may be made to either the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) or the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org).