James Butzner

Waynesville, James Irvin "Jim" Butzner, age 88, of Lakeshore Drive, Lake Junaluska, died Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at his residence. A native of Scranton Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Dr. John Decker Butzner and Bess Robison Butzner. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, John D. Butzner, Federal Judge, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and two sisters, Elizabeth Robison Manson and writer, Jane Isabelle Jacobs. A graduate of Scranton High School and the University of Virginia, he was a retired chemical engineer for Mobil Oil Company. While employed by Mobil Oil Company and living in Woodbury, New Jersey, Jim was elected to serve as a city councilman and was instrumental in creating a citywide park system and was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Woodbury Exchange Club. As first Chairman of the Gloucester County, New Jersey, Community College Board of Trustees for eight years, he organized and oversaw the construction of the college campus. In 1968, Gloucester County Community College opened with an enrolment of 680 students. Today Gloucester County Community College serves more than 15, 000 students. In addition, as Chairman of the Council of Community Colleges, he sat on the New Jersey State Board of Higher Education. A resident of Lake Junaluska for twenty-seven years, and active participant in that community, his ideas and innovations beautified the natural and built environment. His professional accomplishments and life- long civic commitment touched many lives. He was a loving husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Catharine Schoen "Kay" Butzner; one son, James William Butzner of Houston, TX, two daughters, Jane Henderson and her husband, Riley Henderson of Shrub Oak, NY, and Ann Butzner of Asheville; four grandchildren, McDavid Henderson and his wife, Leah, Rachel Elizabeth and Rebekah Esther Henderson, and Krista Elizabeth Butzner; one great-grandaughter, Evan Reigh Henderson; six nieces and nephews and their families. A memorial service will be held at 2:p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2009 in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 12:45 until 1:45 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721 or First United Methodist Church, where he was a member, PO. Box 838, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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