Lowell L. Butler

Lowell L. Butler, 88, of Mason City, passed away on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Terrance Glen Village in Marion surrounded by family. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service time. Interment will be held in the Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Lowell’s family would also like to personally thank the compassionate staff of Suncrest Hospice and Terrace Glen Village.

Lowell was born on February 24, 1938, at the Forest City Municipal Hospital to Lloyd M. and Alice (Johnson) Butler. He was baptized at the Methodist Church and later attended Sunday School and was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City. He received his education in the Mason City Community School System, from kindergarten through his high school graduation. He went on to earn an A.A. degree from Mason City Junior College (now NIACC), a B.A. degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, and a master’s degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Lowell also completed additional studies in School Administration at Iowa State University in Ames. Lowell was united in marriage to Ellamae Oswald on August 27, 1960, at the Fertile Lutheran Church, and they were blessed with two children: Perry and Jan. He began his career in education in Plainfield, IA, where he taught social studies and junior high math and served as a successful girls' basketball coach. He later worked as a guidance counselor at Sumner and Britt, followed by roles as the High School Principal at Britt and Garner-Hayfield. In 1976, Lowell joined his father, Lloyd, and his brother, LeRoy, to purchase the Standard Oil Jobbership, which later became Butler Oil Inc. He then served as the Human Resources Director at Sperry (Unisys) in Clear Lake for 10 years until the facility's closure. Lowell and Ellamae then moved to Worthington, MN, where he was the HR Director at Swift & Company (Con-Agra) for 8 years. Upon his retirement from Swift, the couple returned to Mason City to help care for Lowell's father, Lloyd, and Ellamae's mother, Doris Oswald. A faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell found his greatest joy in being with his family and sharing in the friendship of his many acquaintances. Lowell was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes and Green Bay Packers fan. He also spent his Sundays watching his favorite race car driver, Jeff Gordon. Lowell loved hearing about his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren’s activities and accomplishments.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 67 years, Ellamae; his son, Perry L. (Danette) Butler; his daughter, Jan E. Schmall and Denny Stoddard; his grandchildren, Mitchell (Claire) Butler, Astyn (Josh) Davis, Benjamin (Chloe) Butler, Jacob Schmall, and Noah (Anna) Schmall; and his great-grandchildren, Brody and Hannah Butler, and Bennett and Banks Davis, and Ezra Butler, and Winona, Watson and Milo Schmall. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Karen R. Bailey; his brother-in-law, Richard "Rick" A. (Jovelyn) Oswald; sister-in-law, Judy Butler; his nephew, Michael (Jolene) Butler; as well as several cousins and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; his Butler and Johnson grandparents; his brother, LeRoy Butler; his niece, Julie Eaton, his brother-in-law, John Bailey; his niece Dawn Stephens; his nephew Troy Bailey; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.