FARMINGTON – Bernard L. “Bernie” Butler, 75, of Wilton, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

He was born Sept. 24, 1932, in Waterville, a son of Lester and Florence (Grondin) Butler. He was a graduate of Waterville High School and the University of Maine at Orono and studied for a master’s degree at Rutgers.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was deployed as part of the occupation forces in Europe at the end of World War II.

On June 9, 1956, he married Jeannine Saunders at Sacred Heart Church in Waterville.

He spent the majority of his career teaching mathematics at Wilton Academy and later at Mt. Blue High School. An avid sportsman, he will also be remembered as a coach of the Wilton Academy Baseball Team, the Mt. Blue High School women’s basketball, golf and track teams. During his retirement, Bernie enjoyed his membership in the Wilton Lions Club. He especially enjoyed attending his grandsons’ sporting events and playing a lot of golf with his friends at Wilson Lake Country Club.

Two weeks ago, on the occasion of his 75th birthday, his family hosted a golf tournament and party for him at the Wilson Lake Country Club in Wilton, to which he commented, “This is one of the happiest days of my life with my adult children.”

A devoted husband and father, he is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Jeannine, of Wilton; their daughters, Pamela Butler and her son, Cameron, of Portland, Linda Butler Robertson and her husband, Stewart, of Vancouver, B.C., Nancy Butler of Waterville and Susan Butler Carlton and her husband, Bob, and their sons, Jacob and Nicholas of Kingfield; a brother, Lester Butler and his wife, Connie, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and a niece, Julie Butler Lee of Phoenix, Ariz.