Michael Butler

BUTLER. Sir Reginald Michael Thomas, Bt., Q.C. Michael was born Devonport, England, April 22, 1928. He died of natural causes Victoria, July 1, 2012. He was predeceased by his father Thomas and mother Marjorie (Crookston, nee Woods), his sister Carroll (Milburn) and brother Peter. He leaves, but only - as he said - on this earth, not otherwise, his beloved wife Judith (Blackwell), sons Richard (Penny Lipsack), Geoffrey, Tod and Colman, grandsons Paul, Andrew and Nico (and their mother, Dale Piner). Michael's own mother brought him, his siblings and 13 others to Canada during the Second World War to escape the Blitz. He grew up in Victoria, attended Brentwood College, the University of British Columbia and Osgoode Hall in Toronto. He practised law with imagination and success in Toronto for many years. For a time he joined his brother's firm in Vancouver, before moving home to Victoria to practise with Jack Angus and live where he always belonged. He was for many years a member of the board of governors of Brentwood College and served as its chair. He was particularly proud of his work with headmaster Bill Ross in establishing a program of bursaries, enabling many students who would benefit to attend the school. He was pleased in recent years when his grandson Andrew attended Brentwood, bringing things full circle. One summer, in the middle of his life's journey, Michael found himself living at the Boathouse - a small, primitive (by his former standards) but absolutely idyllic A-Frame on the shore of the Saanich Inlet. During the summers which followed, Boathouse weekends were the setting for a new, carefree, creative, vibrant way of living, learning and loving for Michael, Judy, and their many friends and relations and other denizens of what became a veritable Bloomsbury by the Sea. With everything from Mahler to Wodka. In the same spirit, in 1981 Michael took a year off and reconnected with his English roots, studying at the Christie's Fine Arts Program in London and incidentally discovering the tremendous pleasures of classical music. Back in Victoria Michael used his design skills to renovate a heritage house and create a unique home surrounded by a close-knit community of Avalon Road friends and occupied by a succession of beloved pets . Over the years Michael and Judy often travelled to England where Michael developed the interest in genealogy that eventually inspired three self-published family history books. In Judy, Michael had met his perfect match and he knew it, then and some 38 years on. For the rest of us, he was a good neighbour, friend and advisor, father and grandfather - a constant, understanding and loving support. His final wish was that we all "be as happy when [we] reach this point as I am right now." Our immense gratitude to Derek, Rick, Valerie and Vicki and the Retire at Home staff for their unfailing care and support. In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations to Victoria Hospice, The Friends of Music Society or the Brentwood College Bursary Fund. Memorial tea at 2:30 p.m. on August 25, 2012 at Haro Room, Commons Block, UVic. Also, please feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Michael through a posting on this site.