Tony Max Butler of Ennis, TX passed away after a short battle with cancer on August 24th, 2022 at the age of 77 years old. Tony was born on April 23rd, 1945 in Nash, TX to Robert Avon Butler and Annie Ethelia Butler. The Butler family moved to Bristol in 1954 where Tony attended Ferris schools. Tony eventually married Nancy Louise Butler in 1964 and they had four children.

Tony is proceeded in death by his brother Joe Ed Butler, parents Robert and Annie Butler, his stepfather Burl J. Moore, and his youngest daughter Lori Michelle Butler. He is survived by his son Rod Avon Butler and wife Amy of Mansfield, TX., daughter Tracy Goodwin and husband Rodney of Ennis, TX., and daughter Melanie Kirby and husband Mike of Ennis, Tx., brothers Billy Ray Butler and wife Connie of Eureka, MO, Bobby Butler and Arlene Ford of Aquilla, TX., and sister Linda Kay (Suzie) Moffett of Oakwood, TX. He is also survived by many grandchildren: Blake, Aaron, Lindsay, Kourtney, Devin, Zanic, Josh, Derek, Peyton, Kenzie, Kali, Dylan, Trey, Jordan, McKenzie, and Macie, and 20 great grandkids along with a host of wonderful nieces and nephews whom he treated as if they were his own children. He loved them all!

In the course of his life, Tony worked in various places. In his earlier days he was a machinist but later found his love and skills as a carpenter to be a valuable tool to make a decent living. Everyone always joked about they believed he could build anything out of wood. He did end up retiring from Gerdau in Midlothian where he was very much loved. He loved his family, all of them, and valued anytime he could spend with them. He had such a good heart and was a major story-teller… even when you knew he was stretching the truth a lot of the time, you still found yourself attentively listening to him. He just wanted to make it interesting enough that it would put a smile on your face. He was also known for his endless jokes and what we like to call "Papaisms", most of which we cannot repeat.

Another love of his was to sing Karaoke with the family or sit around and play his beloved Takamine guitar that was a gift from his mother. He absolutely cherished that thing… and he could play it very well! He will always be remembered as a very loving and kind hearted man that was liked by virtually anyone that met him. He loved to sit around and play Farkle with his children or go down to the Brazos river at his brother Bobby's house and just sit around enjoying the peacefulness and sights.

Tony (Dad, Papa, and even "Old Goat", as his son-in-law and best friend Rodney Goodwin would call him) will be forever missed. He was a special, one of a kind soul that will be remembered by all as just that. His children, Rod, Tracy, and Melanie want everyone to just try and think of a time when their dad put a smile on your face with his crazy mannerisms, lame dad joke, or one of those one of a kind Papaisms mentioned earlier… you probably won't have to think on it long! Rest in peace Papa Tony.

Visitation will be Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at J. E. Keever Mortuary in Ennis.

Funeral Service will be Monday, August 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. in the J. E. Keever Mortuary Chapel in Ennis. Pallbearers will be Blake Butler, Derek Doyle, Josh Doyle, Dylan Ware, Zanick Butler, Clay Curry Ryan Collins and Trey Smiley.

Interment will follow in Bristol Cemetery, Bristol, Texas under the direction of J. E. Keever Mortuary, Inc.