Jacob Lee Butler

Sgt. Butler died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, in As Samawah, Iraq.

He was born April 26, 1978, in Merriam, the son of James C. and Cynthia D. (Aune) Butler. He lived in Merriam for several years and attended South Park Elementary before moving to Wellsville with his family in 1990. He attended Wellsville schools and graduated from Wellsville High School in 1996.

Sgt. Butler worked for Nolkes Cash Saver in Wellsville and for SMH in Olathe before joining the U.S. Army in November 1998. After basic training, he was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, as a cavalry scout for two years and was transferred to Fort Riley in 2001. He went on his first tour to Kuwait in 1999 and his second in April 2002. He took four weeks of desert training in the Mojave Desert in California before returning on March 2, 2003, to Kuwait.

He was a member of the Association of the United States Army. His awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star, Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Purple Heart.

Survivors include his parents, of the home; four brothers, James C. Jr., Justin M., both of Wellsville, Joshua M., Ottawa, and twin brother Joseph D., Olathe; and paternal grandparents, Robert J. and Nancy J. Butler, Baldwin.

The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Wilson’s Funeral Home in Wellsville.

The family suggests memorials to the Sgt. Jake Butler Trust Fund, sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 486, Wellsville 66092.