MENDOTA – Christine E. Butler, 75, of Mendota, passed away unexpectedly March 2, 2025, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria.
Private graveside services were Tuesday, March 11 with Fr. Greg Nelson officiating. Wasmer Funeral Home was privileged to assist the family.
Chris was born Nov. 21, 1949, in Peru, to Ralph and Stephanie (Willmeroth) Heilstedt. She graduated from LP High School in 1967. On June 30, 1977, Chris married the love of her life, William Butler, at Zion United Church of Christ in Peru.
Chris will be forever missed by her husband, Bill, of Mendota; her mom, Stephanie Heilstedt of Peru; children, Al (Kerstin) Butler of Peoria, Nicholas (Rachel) Butler of Iowa City, Iowa and Cari Butler of Mendota; four grandchildren, Audrey, Annamarie, Blaize and Graeme; and her brother, Marty (Nancy) Heilstedt of Kirkland, Wash.
She was preceded in death by her father.
Chris enjoyed traveling the Rustic Roads of Wisconsin with her husband. She was a long-time member of the Wisconsin Historical Society and enjoyed visiting numerous Wisconsin historical sites. She enjoyed trips up to New Glarus and Madison with her husband and daughter to explore and find new places to eat and drink. She was an avid Green Bay Packers fan and a huge cheerleader of the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team. Her four grandchildren brought her great joy and she looked forward to attending their sporting events and orchestra concerts.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Chris’s name to Wisconsin Historical Foundation, PO Box 260050, Madison, WI 53726-0050 or Regina Foundation, 2140 Rochester Ave., Iowa City, IA 52245 or foundation@regina.org.
Condolences may be left at wasmerfuneralhome.com.
