William Earl Butterfield, 90, of Kennebunk, Maine, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on September 17, 2026.
Bill was born in Danforth, Maine, in 1936. He spent his younger years in Gorham. At age 10 he and his family moved to Kennebago, where his family maintained and operated the power plant that supplied power to the town of Rangeley. He went to the Rangeley schools and then went on to high school at Erskine Academy Boarding School, where he played basketball. He went on to become its star player and Regional Foul Shooting Champion, nicknamed “Nimble Bill Butterfield.”
Bill graduated from Maine Vocational Technical Institute, at the top of his class, with a degree in electrical engineering and went to work for IBM, where he had a very successful 32-year career.
He met Helene Berube, the love of his life, while he was home from college one summer. She was working and boarding at one of the Rangeley resorts. The attraction was instant; two years later they married. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in May. They had four children and raised them in Vermont, spending many happy years camping, skiing at Smuggler’s Notch, and many summer vacations with extended family and friends. Bill loved music. He had a beautiful voice and played a mean guitar. He loved playing for the church, his family and anyone who requested it. He and his best friends and brothers-in-law, John Laverty and Gordon Richardson, would often play together until the wee hours.
After retiring, Bill and Helene moved to Arundel and later Kennebunk, where Bill was very active with the Knights of Columbus. He was the financial secretary for many years and always took part in all the various K of C activities.
Family was the most important thing for Bill, and he would often quiz his children, asking “What’s the most important thing in the whole wide world?” To which they would all shout, “FAMILY!”
Bill leaves behind his loving wife, Helene; daughter Denise O’Donovan and husband Tom; son Marshall Butterfield and wife Donna; daughter Michelle English and husband Mike; and daughter-in-law Diane Butterfield and husband Don Penny. He is predeceased by his son Michael Butterfield and his two sisters, Norma and Christine. Bill had nine grandchildren, Meghan, Thomas, Morgan, Luke, Crystal, Brandon, Ashley, Sarah and Kevin; and eight great-grandchildren.