Earl Buttke

Coal Valley, Illinois
Earl Buttke, 73, of Coal Valley, Illinois, died Wednesday, September 5, 2007, in Select Specialty Hospital, Davenport, Iowa.
Services are 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 10, 2007, in the Celebration of Life Chapel at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Coal Valley. The Reverend Dr. Mark E. Gehrke of Faith Lutheran Church, Moline, will officiate. Visitation is Noon to 1:00 p.m. Monday. Burial is in Rock Island National Cemetery, where Moline American Legion Post #246 will present military honors and Heavenly Heights Dove Release will present a Trinity Dove Release. Memorials may be made to Trinity Pathway Hospice.
Earl Louis John Buttke was born October 19, 1933, in La Porte City, Iowa, the son of Ervin and Mattie (Woolman) Buttke. He married Winifred Lott on August 20, 1955, in Dunkerton, Iowa. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War as a member of the Honor Guard for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery while stationed in Washington D.C.
He owned and operated B & B Carpet Service, retiring in 1999.
Earl was an avid Cubs and Hawkeye fan, as well as an Illini fan (when they weren?t playing the Hawkeyes). He loved New Orleans and its jazz and blues music. He enjoyed cooking and food, especially lemonade, watermelon, and cherry pie. He loved watching ?Monk? on television, collecting menus and shot glasses from all around the world, and spending time with his grandchildren and watching their sporting events. He enjoyed vacationing with his wife and family in Florida, and in later years he became best pals with his daughter?s dog, Gilligan.
Mr. Buttke is survived by his wife of 52 years, Winifred; a son and daughter-in-law, John and KayMarie Buttke of Lowden, Iowa; daughters and sons-in-law, Renea Furnald of Coal Valley, Shelley and Mark Neels of Moline, Sandy and Matt Bowman of Moline, and Roberta ?Bobbie? Lopez of Moline; and grandchildren, Justan Neels, Colt Furnald, Jodi Furnald, Johnie Christine Buttke, Josh Buttke, Jacob Bowman, Tony Lopez, and Luke Bowman. He was preceded in death by four sisters and two brothers.
Earl?s family invites you to share memories and condolences, and light a candle in his memory at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.