Butler Family

On May 9, 2023 we lost our beloved friend Anthony “Tony” Butler Sr.

If you know my family, then it goes without saying you know the Butler family too. Because for the last 25 years, we frankly haven't done much without them. Graduations (pre-school through college)? The Butlers were there. Holidays? The Butlers were there. Engagements and weddings? You guessed it, the Butlers were by our side. Nearly every memory I have includes Tony, his wife Diane, and his two kids Danielle and Anthony. The Butlers are our family.

On May 9th we all woke up shocked to learn that Tony had passed away at home in his sleep at the age of 62. He was a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend and a retired lieutenant from the Essex County Sheriff's Office. More than that, Tony was a one-of-kind man with a wildly funny sense of humor. He had a knack for telling stories that had you hooked from the beginning and laughing until your stomach hurt.

Even more than that, Tony was endlessly curious; curious to learn and know more about every single person he spoke to. He was attentive when you talked to him and compassionate and witty in his responses.

Danielle and Anthony are so much like him. Danielle certainly picked up Tony’s storytelling skills. She’s animated, never misses a single detail and her recount of the story is always 100x funnier than the actual story itself. She got that from Tony. If you’ve ever had a conversation with Anthony, you probably walked away crying from laughing so hard. He has the driest sense of humor, something he certainly learned from Tony.While we mourn his loss, a part of me feels so blessed that a part of him lives on in Danielle and Anthony.

I’d do anything to bring the Butler family a sliver of peace during this difficult time. If you feel inclined to help as well, we’ve started a fund in lieu of flowers to ease the stress of funeral costs..

RIP Tony. Thank you for 28 years of endless laughs.