Gary was born in Lewiston on Feb. 7, 1948, the son of William and Madeline Nadeau Butt. He attended local schools, and graduated from Lewiston High School.
After high school, he moved to Phoenix, where he attended the University of Northern Arizona. While there, he signed up for service in the U.S. Navy. Gary’s initial training took him to San Diego, and further submarine training was in Baltimore and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, then engineering classes at the University of Maine.
He worked at various shipyards in Puget Sound, Japan, Corpus Christi and others. He was a shipyard superintendent, teacher and administrator. As superintendent of the Bremerton Shipyard in Washington, he was involved with the decommissioning of nuclear warheads. His other work projects included the USS Spadefish, the USS Alexander Hamilton and as safety officer for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Retiring to his home in Saco, he was active as a member of Saco Masonic Lodge #9, where he was Mason of the year for 2012, chair of the membership committee and the education committee, a member of the Valley of the Portland Scottish Rite and Kora Shrine, and past secretary for York County Masters and Wardens.
Gary enjoyed fishing, history and traveling all over America and Canada. Above all, Gary was a true patriot.
He is survived by: his wife, Sylvia Buzzell Butt of Saco; two brothers, Larry Butt of Georgia and Brian Hartley of Florida; a sister, Roxie Lombard of Lewiston; two nieces, Karen McKechnie and Wendy Butt,; two stepsons, David and John Andrew; a nephew, Craig Lombard; and four grandchildren, Anastasia Andrews Levasseur, Allie Andrews, Lydia Andrew and Ellis Andrews.
A Masonic memorial service and celebration of life will be conducted by the officers of Saco Lodge #9 at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, at the Saco Masonic Lodge, 258 Main St., Saco, with Wor. Jonathan Maynard officiating.
The service will be completed with U.S. Navy military honors. A reception will follow at the lodge.
To make memorial contributions in his memory, please consider: VA VS Hospice Unit, Voluntary Services 135, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 1 VA Center, Augusta, ME 04330.
Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home and Cremation in Saco has been entrusted with arrangements.
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