Edward Butts

May 16, 1923 - September 22, 2012

Ed was the second of four children born to Edward and Ruth Butts on May 16, 1923 in St. Louis, Missouri. His family moved to Phoenix, AZ when he was a small boy, where his father started a trucking company, United Parcel Service. He attended St. Mary's Boy's School, and when he heard it was the last day to take the Air Corps exam, he immediately took that test, passed and left for boot camp in February of 1942. He then served in the Air Force from 1942-53. He graduated as a flight officer in 1944 and after training, he flew as many as 10 different airplanes with the P38 being his "favorite." Ed served with the Army National Guard, 197 Fighter Squadron, known as the Copper Heads, and then with the Fifth Air Force, 6147th Tactical Control Group in Korea as a "Mosquito" flying the T6 where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He returned to Phoenix after his military service to help his family run their United Parcel business. Upon his father's death in 1944, the company was left to Ed and his late brother Robert Butts. Under Ed's management, he acquired Valley Parcel in 1948 and City Delivery in 1958, adopting the latter's name after selling his United Parcel Certificate in 1960 to the current UPS Company. He ran this transportation company from 148-1990, and under his leadership the company grew from a small freight company to a complete transportation system with 117 vehicles, including local delivery and messenger service, worldwide moving services, freight forwarding, public warehousing and distribution, and rail car bulk and ramp service. After is "retirement" in 1984, he moved to Chino Valley, Arizona and then to Prescott Valley, Arizona and worked at Ruger Firearms for 20 years earning the nickname "Fast Eddie." He worked there until December of 2011 at age 88. Ed was preceded in death by his son, Scott; his brother, Robert; and sister, Mariam. Ed is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ruby; sister Ruth; three children, Edward Butts, Jr., Flo Ann Liniger, Diane Butts; and step-daughter, Patti Armstrong. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to YEI, Yavapai Exceptional Industries (yeiworks.com) in Prescott, Arizona. A memorial will be held in Prescott, Arizona on Sunday, October 21st at 11:00 am at the Veteran's Medical Facility Chapel, 500 Highway 89N, Prescott, Arizona 86313. A reception will follow.