James Lloyd "Sonny" Butler, 62, Custer, died at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Madison on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pisarski/Dzikoski Funeral Home in Stevens Point, with the Rev. Rajen Annangan officiating. Cremation will follow the traditional service.
Visitation will be at the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and again from 10 a.m. Saturday until the service.
Condolences may be offered online at www.pisarskifuneralhome.com.
Mr. Butler was born June 5, 1947, in Wisconsin Rapids, a son of the late Francis and Carita (Miller) Butler. He attended P.J. Jacobs High School in Stevens Point.
He entered the U.S. Army at the age of 17 on June 23, 1964, in Milwaukee and was honorably discharged as a private on June 17, 1967, at Fort Lewis, Wash., having served in Vietnam. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
He was married to Kathleen Glodowski, on Nov. 9, 1968, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Stevens Point.
He was employed as an over-the-road truck driver for Inland Contract Carriers of West Bend for more than 35 years. He and his wife were West Coast haulers known as "Big Gentle Ben and the Polish Queen."
In 2001, he received a heart transplant.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Sonny (Rhonda), Appleton, and Rodger (Geri), Stevens Point; one daughter, Carita (Kevin) Raikowski, Junction City; three brothers, Jerry (Jody), De Pere, Brad (Becky), Kaukauna, and Ernie (Terry), Stephensville; one sister, Connie Guyette , Appleton; and seven grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Bonnie Groeschel and June Peters; and one brother, Irv.