Larry ‘Butch’ England

Larry Dean England (Butch), 82, of Clearfield, passed away Sept. 25, 2024, at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 18, at the Clearfield Methodist Church. Burial is in the Clearfield Cemetery.

Memorials are to be directed the Alzheimer’s Association. Memories may be shared at www.armstrongfh.com.

Larry was born May 2, 1942, to Walter and Dorothy Rechtenbach England at Creston Hospital in Creston. Larry was the oldest of four children: one sister, Karen and two brothers, Gerald and Donnie.

He played football during his high school years and with Coach Kerber’s help, made the all star eight-man football team in his senior year. He also played baseball and umpired many little league games. Larry graduated from Clearfield High School in 1960.

He was a farm boy and loved the farm life, watching the crops grow, taking care of his cows and he always had a dog as a partner. You could see Larry driving down the streets of Clearfield with his dog by his side. He also loved taking bike trips out west and having a few drinks with the fellas. Larry served in the military from 1966-1970.

Larry was married to Karen Matheny and had four children which they lost in infancy. Larry was then married to Sharon Means and together they had two girls, Shelli and Shawna. In the 1980s, a nephew, Jesse England, came to live with the family. Butch enjoyed watching the kids grow up and being there for them. Butch believed in giving back to the community and served as mayor in two different terms. Butch really enjoyed playing Santa Claus to the kids of the community for several years. He also served on the Clearfield School Board for six years.

In 1993, Larry married the former Jeannette Bailey. Together they enjoyed dancing and taking trips out west to one of the many national parks in the U.S.. In later years, because of health reasons, they started going south to the Phoenix, Arizona, area where they would spend six months during the winter to get out of the Iowa cold. An especially memorable trip for Butch and Jeanette was when they traveled to New Zealand to visit friends.

We will forever hold the memory of Larry in our hearts. May he be at peace in God’s loving care.

Survivors include his wife, Jeannette; daughters, Shelli Wingfield and Shawna Orr; nephew, Jesse England; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brother, Gerald; special friends, Kim, Justin and Tristin Brown, other relatives and friends.

Larry was preceded in death by parents; brother, Donnie and a sister, Karen.