Our History
The Butler Funeral Home has been in Bolivar, serving the families of Polk and the surrounding counties since 1958. Formerly the White & Erwin and Erwin & Blue Funeral Home, Paul D. Butler and Mary Lou Butler opened their doors in August 1958. Joining the business in 1969 was their son R. Stephen Butler and later by Stephen's wife Jarolyn, in 1989. Mary Lou Butler passed away Nov. 6, 1988 & Paul D. Butler passed away on June 30, 2007.We are just as committed in showing you that Butler Funeral Home is a name you can trust in the future as we have for the past 54 years.
In Memory of R. Stephen Butler, 1947 - 2017
R. Stephen Butler lived in Bolivar all of his life. A 1965 graduate of Bolivar High School, he attended Southwest Baptist University for 3 years, then enrolled in Dallas Institute Of Mortuary Science and Gupton-Jones graduating with a degree of Funeral Services Practitioners in Mortuary Science in 1969.After returning to Bolivar he started his apprenticeship under his Dad, Paul D. Butler and his Mother, Mary Lou Butler.
He obtained his Embalmers and Funeral Directors License from the state of Missouri in 1969. In 1968, Stephen married Jarolyn Stanfill in Caruthersville, MO. Stephen was a life member of Optimist International, a member of a the First Christian Church of Bolivar, Bolivar Area Chamber Of Commerce, Past District Nine Director of Missouri Funeral Directors And Embalmers Association and The National Funeral Directors Association. Stephen dedicated his life to Funeral Service by helping those families they serve as if they were his own family.
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Jarolyn Butler, CEO/Funeral Director/Preneed Agent
Jarolyn was born in Caruthersville, MO and graduated from Braggadocio High School in 1965. She attended college at Southern Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, AR, then transferred to Southwest Baptist University in 1967. She met Stephen Butler at SBU and was married in 1968. She is a member of the First Christian Church in Bolivar and has served as a coordinator in various organizations such as The American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association. She has also been a member and officer in the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority in Bolivar. Jarolyn's business career began while Stephen was attending Mortuary School in Dallas, TX at the Park City Bank in Highland Park then retiring after 20 years with Commerce Bank of Bolivar, MO. Jarolyn became a Licensed Funeral Director in 1989 and assists her husband Stephen in the daily operation of the funeral home. Jarolyn feels the importance of serving our families as a funeral director with the compassion and dedication that they deserve In her spare time, Jarolyn and her husband, Stephen, like to travel on various cruises, going to many different shopping destinations,and spending time together.
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Kyle Lancaster, Manager/Funeral Director/Embalmer
Kyle was born in Fort Scott, KS and graduated from Fort Scott High School. He attended Kansas State University, earning his Bachelor of Science in Sociology/Criminology. He then received his Associate of Applied Science in Mortuary Science from Kansas City Kansas Community College. Kyle is an active member of the local Kiwanis Club. He served as member of The Board of Education for Bolivar R - I Schools for seven years, and currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Bolivar Educational Advancement Foundation. Kyle and his wife, Sarah met while they both were attending mortuary school. Sarah, also a licensed funeral director and embalmer, now works as a para professional in the Bolivar High School library. Kyle and Sarah have two beautiful daughters, Olive and Daly.
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Justin Mather, Funeral Director/Embalmer
Justin was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but was raised in Lebanon, Missouri. He is a graduate of Lebanon High School and continued his education at Southwest Baptist University where he graduated in 2014. Justin then attended Dallas Institute of Funeral Service and graduated with honors in 2016. After he was finished in Dallas, he started working for Holman-Howe Funeral Homes in Hartville, Missouri. He joined the Butler team in August of 2020. Justin is currently an active member of the local Rotary Club.
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Noah Cross
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Clay Meyer, Funeral Assistance
Clay was raised in Jefferson City, MO and graduated from Jefferson City High School. He attended Central Missouri State University for a period of time before entering into the United States Army, where after basic training, he served in Germany as a Military Policeman for three years. After an honorable discharge in May of 1990, Clay entered the Missouri Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Academy in July of 1990, Upon graduation he was assigned to the Troop D, Springfield, MO Headquarters. He patrolled in and around the Polk County area for the next 28 years before retiring in 2018 as a Master Sergeant.Clay is married to Renee Luebbering Meyer, who is also originally from Jefferson City, MO. Together, they have two children: Cole Meyer, from Kansas City, MO and Cristen (Meyer) Nelsen, who is married to Phillip Nelsen, of Bolivar, MO.
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Kim Smith, Funeral Assistance
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Janet Felton, Office Receptionist
Janet was born in California. She lived between Las Vegas, Nevada and Bolivar, Missouri most of her life settling in Bolivar in 1996. Janet has two children and five grandchildren. She started in the funeral industry in 1987 but retired in 2020. Deciding retirement was not for her, she joined the staff at Butler Funeral Home as office administrator.
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Dawn Jenkins, Humansville Office Manager/Butler House Receptionist
