From 50th Anniversary booklet  May 29, 2011

Spouse:  Patrecia

Children:  Wesley J. butts and Carrie L. (Butts) Francis

Grandchildren:  Anthony Joseph Francis and Julie Michelle Francis

Pets:  3 Cats:  Lexi, Lommy & Bluey   3 Dogs:  Roozeus--Poodle; Budda--Pekenese and Pumpkin--Poodle and We do have a Sulphur-Crested cockatoo named Harvey.
 

Interests and Hobbies:  Science and advanced technologies.

What have I been doing for the last 50 years after graduating from Decatur High School:  I had two years of college. I spent twenty years in the Air Force as a Military Analyst, specializing in Military technology.  In those 20 years we lived in Taiwan, Japan; Hoff, Germany; Aleutian Islands and Finland.  I spent 27 years working for the Department of Defense.  In those years we lived  18 years in Australia and now reside in Maryland.

Future:  I hope to return to Australia or move to Florida

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From 2008 questionnaire:

    1.  Name and city/state where you live - Joe Butts

Currently live in Severn, Maryland and Maryland REALLY sucks, but you have
to go where the work and training is

          2.  Spouse's name and where he/she was born or went to school -
My wife's name is Patrecia, Yes, I can spell, but the Doctor that delivered
Pat could not.  She graduated from Little Rock Central High in 1962.

        3.  How/where did you meet your spouse -
Met my wife in Little Rock, Arkansas, while stationed at Little Rock, AFB in
1965.
         4.  Your occupation before retirement ?
     I am working as a system Analyst

        5.  Did you attend college or special schooling ~ what study -

    a.  Two years at Norfolk Junior college and was studying pre-engineering
    b.   22 weeks of Air Force technical school in Bolixie, Mississippi in
electronics, classes were six hours a day, 5 days a week..
    c.  While I was in the Air Force I got an AA degree in Communication's
    d. In 1982 submitted all my education, technical schooling and work I
had done to the New York Regents which provides college credit for all the
work you have done and any other education you have.  I received 129 credit
hours, but never got a degree as I lack 15 hours of upper level hours
 
        6.  Your spouse's occupation before retirement -  My wife was a
technician and retired in May 2007
 
         7.  Favorite place (city/state) where you have lived and why -
         
I cannot choose which I liked best, Alice Springs, Australia or Helsinki.
Finland. Both were Fantastic places.

    a.  As I told most of you at the reunion. I liked Alice Springs because
of the warm weather, slow pace of life, and all of the animals that we were
able to raise and return to the wild.

   b.  Helsinki was a winter wonderland, in the winter the temperature
seldom went lower then 25 or 26 degrees F and a big plus was there was never
any wind.  We saw snowflakes as big as your hand.  It was incredible.  The
summers were fantastic too with a lot of sunny days and temperatures seldom
higher than 85 degrees F.

         8.  How many children, if any -
We had two children, a boy and girl.  Our son is a Captain in the USAF  and
our daughter is a system analyst with a company that provides computer
support to large business and nuke power plants.

         9.  Grandchildren? 
We have two grandchildren, a boy and girl.  Our grandson starts school at
the U of Maryland.  He is a big boy, 6'
5'' and weighs 320 lbs.  He has a full scholarship and will play football
for U of Maryland.  Our granddaughter is 8 years old and a real joy to the
grandparents.
 
       10.  Special hobbies - My work
 
      11.  Any other details you care to share -  No.
 
 

Updated by Sherry Carlson 3/13/09