Butler A. Alma

Alma A. Butler, age 89, of New Philadelphia, died Saturday, April 19, 2008, surrounded by her family that she lovingly took care of for many years.A daughter of the late August and Barbara Leita Mattevi, Alma was born at Wainwright, Ohio on July 26, 1918.As a single mother of three children, Alma worked very hard to provide for her family. For over 30 years she served Dr. Vincent Nipple, Sr. as the family housekeeper prior to her retirement in 1991.However, her work did not end there; she was a devout Catholic and a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at New Philadelphia. Her work with the ladies of the Alter Society often found her keeping busy as she assisted in preparing meals for luncheons following funerals.Always willing to lend a hand to others, Alma was often hard at work in her own kitchen baking or cooking food for a sick friend or neighbor up into her later years.She was gifted with a memory that allowed her to remember many things about her grandchildren and family alike and as they would arrive from out of town, Alma would always be prepared and have that favorite plate cookies or dish of food ready for each of them.In her spare time she found comfort in crocheting and gardening. But, she did not rest for long as she was always working to keep both the inside and outside of her home in near perfect order.Alma leaves behind two daughters, Barbara (Marshall) Skelly of New Philadelphia and Ruth (Rodney) Brown of Norwalk, Ohio; a sister, Edith Sarchet of New Philadelphia and a brother-in-law, Kenneth Buehler of Stonecreek.Ten grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren complete the family.In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by a daughter, Jacqueline Mathews; three sisters Mary Mattevi, Erma Contini, and Rose Buehler and a brother, August Mattevi Jr.The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, from 6:00PM â?? 8:00PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Monsignor, George J. Schlegel will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 1:30PM in Sacred Heart Catholic Church at New Philadelphia. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery at New Philadelphia. Following the committal, the family would like to invite guests to join them for a luncheon prepared by Alma’s friends of the Alter Soceity in St. Ambrose Hall, adjacent to the church.Those unable to attend may send the family personal condolences by visiting the online guest registry located on the funeral home’s website.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions in Alma’s honor be made to Hospice of Tuscarawas County, 102 West Third Street, Dover, Ohio 44622, or to the Sacred Heart Altar Society, c/o Sacred Heart Church, 139 Third Street NE, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.