ARLINGTON — Longtime city councilman and retired police officer Richard “Dick” Butner died at home Friday night.
He was 80.
Butner had served on the Arlington City Council since 2004. Before that, he was an original member of the Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission.
He also served the city as a police officer for 22 years, retiring as a sergeant in 1997. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce.
Fellow city leaders remember Butner as someone with a heart for service.
“The thoughts and prayers of the entire City of Arlington family are with his wife Barb and the Butner family,” Mayor Barbara Tolbert said in a news release. “Dick will be greatly missed.”
Butner is survived by his wife of 20 years, Barb, and their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Butner’s council term ends Jan. 1, 2016. He had planned to retire from the council after this term and did not file for re-election, assistant city administrator Kristin Banfield said.
During his 12 years on the council, Butner’s priorities included: improving public safety; preparing for population growth; adding city parks; expanding business opportunities; and including Smokey Point more in city planning, especially regarding traffic there, according to his profile.
During his down time, he enjoyed golfing and was interested in genealogy.
He made daily trips to downtown Arlington to spend time at local businesses, City Administrator Paul Ellis said in the news release.
“Dick loved serving the citizens and businesses of Arlington,” he said.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Friday, May 29, at Weller Funeral Home, 327 N Macleod Ave. It is open to the public.
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