Obituary for Thomas Allen Butts
Thomas Allen Butts born in September of 1963 to Palma and Allen Butts in Ashland, OH, lost his life in a motorcycle accident on March 9, 2021. As a middle schooler, he moved with his family to Elgin, Illinois. Later, he attended Larkin High School where he played football. He attended Arizona State University and graduated from DePaul University.
Tom enjoyed life to the fullest. He owned a thriving business consulting firm with clients across the globe. While his career kept him on the road, when he was home, he, along with Rose, pursued several hobbies. He restored a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS. To satisfy his enthusiasm for speed, he bought an Aprilia motorcycle and put over 100 miles on it in the first year.
He also loved to fly. From a young age Tom had dreamed of becoming a pilot. He achieved that goal when he completed his first check ride 17 years ago. He bought his first plane soon thereafter and immediately began accruing the flight time he needed to earn his instrument rating, Shortly thereafter, he purchased a twin-engine aircraft, leading to additional ratings. Immediately after earning his pilot certificate, he and Rose began shopping for a Warbird – a retired U.S. military airplane – settling on a 1957 North American T-28C plane that required a full ground up restoration. He loved the sound and the power of the radial engine. He and Rose, along with his parents, spent nearly every weekend and spare hour painstakingly restoring that aircraft piece by piece. They were working on the fuselage and had anticipated completing the project within the next year. Rose will continue this restoration in his honor.
Tom didn’t do anything in half measures – when he decided he wanted to lose a few pounds several years ago, he joined a gym with nationwide access so he could work out no matter where he was that week. He made going to the gym a priority, getting up early each morning so he had a solid workout before a full day of work. He had just upped his chest press to 315 pounds.
Tom is survived by his love of twenty years, Rose Ellen May, his father, Allen, and friends he counted as family. He joins his mother, Palma, his grandparents, several aunts and uncles in heaven.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 4-8 P.M. at Miller Funeral Home, West Dundee. Family and friends will gather for a Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. at St. Catherine of Siena Church, West Dundee with Rev. Matthew DeBlock, Pastor, officiating. Tom's Funeral Mass will be live streamed on St. Catherine of Siena Facebook page. https://m.facebook.com/StCatherineChurchOfficial/ Burial will follow at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Cemetery in Hampshire.
Contributions to Warbirds of North America – the charitable arm of Tom’s consulting business – may be made in his memory. Warbirds of North America 15N848 Farm View Ln, Hampshire, IL 60140. To leave an on-line condolence, please visit www.millerfuneralhomedundee.com
Tom enjoyed life to the fullest. He owned a thriving business consulting firm with clients across the globe. While his career kept him on the road, when he was home, he, along with Rose, pursued several hobbies. He restored a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS. To satisfy his enthusiasm for speed, he bought an Aprilia motorcycle and put over 100 miles on it in the first year.
He also loved to fly. From a young age Tom had dreamed of becoming a pilot. He achieved that goal when he completed his first check ride 17 years ago. He bought his first plane soon thereafter and immediately began accruing the flight time he needed to earn his instrument rating, Shortly thereafter, he purchased a twin-engine aircraft, leading to additional ratings. Immediately after earning his pilot certificate, he and Rose began shopping for a Warbird – a retired U.S. military airplane – settling on a 1957 North American T-28C plane that required a full ground up restoration. He loved the sound and the power of the radial engine. He and Rose, along with his parents, spent nearly every weekend and spare hour painstakingly restoring that aircraft piece by piece. They were working on the fuselage and had anticipated completing the project within the next year. Rose will continue this restoration in his honor.
Tom didn’t do anything in half measures – when he decided he wanted to lose a few pounds several years ago, he joined a gym with nationwide access so he could work out no matter where he was that week. He made going to the gym a priority, getting up early each morning so he had a solid workout before a full day of work. He had just upped his chest press to 315 pounds.
Tom is survived by his love of twenty years, Rose Ellen May, his father, Allen, and friends he counted as family. He joins his mother, Palma, his grandparents, several aunts and uncles in heaven.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 4-8 P.M. at Miller Funeral Home, West Dundee. Family and friends will gather for a Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. at St. Catherine of Siena Church, West Dundee with Rev. Matthew DeBlock, Pastor, officiating. Tom's Funeral Mass will be live streamed on St. Catherine of Siena Facebook page. https://m.facebook.com/StCatherineChurchOfficial/ Burial will follow at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Cemetery in Hampshire.
Contributions to Warbirds of North America – the charitable arm of Tom’s consulting business – may be made in his memory. Warbirds of North America 15N848 Farm View Ln, Hampshire, IL 60140. To leave an on-line condolence, please visit www.millerfuneralhomedundee.com