Alvina (Toots) Butz, 92, died Sunday, March 11, 2007 in a Minot hospital. Alvina was born on the Jacques farm near Bottineau, North Dakota on July 11, 1914, to Philip and Regina (DuBois) Jacques.

She only spoke French when she started school in a one-room schoolhouse near Bottineau. Her education continued at the Notre Dame Academy in Willow City and Bottineau High School, where she was the class of 1932 Valedictorian. She attended the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota on an academic scholarship, until her marriage to Cyrel John Butz of Kramer, North Dakota on June 26, 1933.

After their marriage, Toots and Cy lived for awhile in Kramer, before moving to Williston where there oldest son Mark was born. They then lived in Minot where their second son Jacques and daughter Jill were born. They moved to Chicago in 1943 and returned to North Dakota in 1947 and lived in Minot the remainder of their lives. In 1955, their son Patrick was born and their daughter Carla was born in 1961.

Toots and Cy celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary, before Cy died in 1996. Her family was of highest importance to Toots. She was an attentive, patient, and loving daughter, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her skills in the home, kitchen, and garden were exceptional. Toots, with her endearing personality, assembled may friends over her nearly 93 years on earth. She entertained frequently with grace and generosity. She always maintained, along with a full refrigerator, an open door policy to all of her friends and her children's friends, who became like family, often invited to share meals and celebrate holidays.

Toots loved to travel, play golf, and play cards, especially bridge. In addition to forty plus years of PTA, Toots was active in dinners, bake sales, and other fundraisers to benefit various charities, and the Catholic schools her children attended. She was often room mother, scout leader, and dance chaperone. Toots was also active in the Altar Guild and other church activities. To all her roles in life, she brought fun, celebration, and love. Her loving spirit and joy were rooted in her faith. It sustained her through many illnesses and difficult times, and allowed her to peacefully face her death without fear.

Surviving Family: Toots is survived by her five children, who will always appreciate her nurturing, love, and the wonderful role model she provided them. Her surviving children are Mark and his wife Diane (Nelson), Lake Metigoshe, ND; Jacques and his wife Diane (Russell), Minot, ND; Jill Lombardi and her husband Vince, Green Valley, Az; Patrick and his wife Sandy (Sime), Minot; and Carla Butz Carlin and her husband Jerome, Mahtomedi, MN. Her fifteen grandchildren are Jan (Lee) Ehresman, Joni (Jim) Moen, Mark (Patty) Butz, Philip (Karla) Butz, Nicole (Fiancé Dave Wiemiller) Butz, Vincent (Sally Sue) Lombardi, John (Barbara Ann) Lombardi, Gina Lombardi, Joseph (Molly) Lombardi; Kristine (John) Moran, Kara Ziegler, John (Kelly) Butz, Tiffany Butz, Dustin (Jill) Wald, and Lucy Carlin. Toots was blessed with twenty-nine great grandchildren, for whom she had endless love.

Toots was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Cy; her brothers Elmer and Clifton Jacques; and grandson, Matthew Butz.

Rosary: Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 6:00 at Thompson-Larson Funeral Chapel, Minot

Funeral: Saturday, March 17, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Minot.

Visitation: Friday, March 16, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church prior to the funeral.

Memorials are preferred to the Bishop Ryan High School Foundation.

Celebrant of the Liturgies: Father Gene Lindemann

Readers: Vincent Lombardi and John Lombardi

Eulogists: Jill Lombardi and Carla Butz Carlin

Gift Bearers ~ Granddaughters: Jan Ehresman, Joni Moen, Nicole Butz, Kristine Moran,
Kara Ziegler, Gina Lombardi, Tiffany Butz, Lucy Carlin

Music
"Be Not Afraid" "Eye Has Not Seen" "Prayer of St. Francis" "Panis Angelicus" & "Ave Maria"
"Song of Farewell" "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee"
Deb Boppre, vocalist and Beth Chapman, accompanist

Honorary Bearers:All of Toot's dear family and friends

Active Bearers ~ Grandsons: Mark Butz, Vince Lombardi, Philip Butz, John Lombardi, John Butz Dustin Wald, Joseph Lombardi

Following the service everyone is invited to join with the family in a time of fellowship at the Knights of Columbus located at 2601 North Broadway.

To sign the online guest register for Toots
To view the online guest register for Toots

To view the inside of Toots' folder
To view the outside of Toot's folder

Back to Obituaries