Honoring Pastor
Dennis K. Butts, Sr’s Legacy
// HONORING PASTOR BUTTS
Pastor Dennis K. Butts Sr. will be remembered as “The People’s Pastor.”
“He had a tremendous heart for people, and we may never truly know how many people he touched and impacted. His ministry focused on visitation of the sick, comforting families during times of loss and grief and he performed a lot of weddings. He did compassionate work with people. He was always on the ground shepherding the people and he was the face of the House of the Lord in the community,” said Bishop F. Josephus Johnson II, a childhood friend and founder and senior pastor of the church. The Pastor Butts, 65, died Friday, September 16, 2016 two months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was associate pastor at Akron’s the House of the Lord, executive director of Beth-el Fellowship of Visionary Churches and co-executive director and board member of the Love Akron Network.
“He was more than a colleague. He was my brother,” said the Rev. Mark Ford, executive director of Love Akron. “He was one of the most caring persons I know — he would always ask, ‘How are you, really?’ because he was truly interested in you as a person. He was a man of dignity and a man of deep respect. We’ve lost an incredible general on the battlefield. He didn’t just want to tear down walls that divide people, he wanted to build bridges.”
Change In Careers
The Rev. Butts, an Akron native and alumnus of Baldwin Wallace University and the International Bible Institute & Seminary, also chaired Imagine Unity, an initiative of local faith leaders to create a culture of peace in the Greater Akron area. Ordained a minister in 1978, the Rev. Butts left his job at Goodyear Tire and Rubber in 1980, to work full time with his neighborhood friend (Bishop Johnson) at the House of the Lord. As a staff pastor, his responsibilities included preaching, teaching, officiating at funerals, weddings, baby dedications and baptisms and conducting marriage and family seminars, men’s retreats and workshops on leadership development. He loved to sing and enjoyed gospel music and traveling.
Supportive, Loving Husband and Father
At the center of his life was his family — his childhood sweetheart and wife of 42 years, Jewrusha; their sons, Dennis Jr. and Paul, and their six grandchildren, Makaya, Dennis III, Eli, Brielle, Olivia, and Paul Jr. “I’m so proud of my dad. It’s been great hearing stories from people about how he helped them and touched their lives. Those stories have been a source of joy,” said Dennis K. Butts Jr. “My dad had a unique gift of making every person feel like they were his best friend. When he talked with them, people felt like they were the only person who mattered.”
Dennis Jr and his brother, Paul, said they are grateful that they had the opportunity to thank their father for pouring his love and wisdom into them and to tell him how much they loved him. The two brothers said their greatest tribute to their father will be living out the lessons that he taught them.
“He always pushed us toward excellence and always told us to do our best,” said Paul Butts. “He wanted us to grow up to be great men, great fathers and great husbands and he and our mom did everything they could to make that happen. He taught us that if you do something wrong, say you’re sorry. He taught us that the best thing you can do for your children is to love your wife and that the best way to love your wife is to show her that you love her — it has to be more than words.”
An Irreplaceable Figure
“He was loyal. He was loyal to his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his church and he was a loyal friend. His love for his wife, his sons and his grandchildren was evident and his love for people was phenomenal. Nobody can fill his shoes or take his place,” said Pastor Cathy Johnson. “There is a giant hole in our hearts because we will miss him and his reassurance. I don’t know how to say goodbye, but I know I’ll never forget him. He touched so many people’s lives.”
As his sons, we are honored to keep our father’s legacy alive through this scholarship and our collective efforts to fight pancreatic cancer.
DENNIS BUTTS JR.
PAUL BUTTS SR.