More detail on this person: Philip 970-217-5625 was a friend of Jerry Butts and had great respect
for Jerry. Wants to get a helicopter to fly over his funeral Saturday 21 July.
FORT COLLINS, CO - Dr. Jerry Lee Butts passed away quickly on July 15th at his home in south Ft.
Collins. He was born April 8, 1944, as the first of two children to Harold and Kathryn Butts in
Sault St. Marie, Michigan, but was raised primarily in Bremen, Indiana. Jerry was an active young
man and a talented athlete at Lakeville High School, class of 1962. He chose Purdue University for
college where he was a member of the Crew team and the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. He went on to
earn a Bachelor's degree in Forestry Management in 1966. Following college, he was selected for
Officer School with the U.S. Marine Corps where he earned his commission and eventually his pilot
wings. Jerry achieved the rank of Captain and flew mostly helicopters, including a tour in Vietnam.
After his service, he came west to see the mountains and work for the State Forest Service. While in
Colorado he met his beautiful wife of 38 years, Margie Altergott of Windsor, CO. Shortly after their
marriage in 1972, he decided to become a veterinarian and attended Colorado State University,
earning his doctorate in 1980. He started a successful practice, Orchard Animal Hospital, in north
Loveland, and operated it for 31 years until his death. Jerry and Margie had three children
together, Jason, Lindsey and Kevin. He was a tireless family man, friend, patriot, and an avid
outdoorsman, passionate about hunting, fishing, racing dirt bikes and shooting. His role in the
community as an "old-fashioned" and caring veterinarian with a lovable sense of humor will be missed
enormously. He is survived by his wife, Margie, and their three children; mother, Kathryn Butts; his
uncle, John Campbell (Virginia); sister, Rhonda Laidig (Kurt); numerous nieces and nephews; and five
grandchildren, who greatly enriched his later years. A celebration of his life will be held at
Timberline Church, 2908 S. Timberline Road in Ft. Collins, including military honors, starting at
10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 21st, in the main auditorium. A closed casket visitation will take
place at the church starting at 9:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that
donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Project or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, c/o
Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive, Fort Collins, CO 80524. Friends may send condolences to the
family at bohlenderfuneralchapel.com. How lucky we are to have had someone in our lives that makes
saying goodbye so hard.
Published in South Bend Tribune on July 19, 2012
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association