Clarence
“Butch” Cravens, 64, a retired auto body man from Cut Bank, passed away
Thursday, May 21, 2009, at his home due cancer. Funeral mass will be 11:00 am
Monday, May 25, at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church with visitation from 10:00 am
until service time at the church. Military honors will follow at the church.
Whitted Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Condolences for the family
may be sent to www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years Cecilia Cravens of Cut Bank; daughters, Susan (Gregory) Vogel of Great Falls, Jane (Barry) Brennan of Helena, Deanna Cravens (David Powell) of Aubrey, TX, Anne (Greg) Sandsness of Bonnie Lake, WA, Julie (Joey) Dionne of Havre, Christina (Mike) Cravens of Havre and Carrie Cravens of Shelby; sisters, Deb (Guy) Herzog, Margaret (Mike) Guthrie and Janet Antonaccio all of Centralia, IL; brothers, Roger (Darcas) Cravens and James (Ruth) Cravens both of Herrin, IL; twenty grandchildren & twelve great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by parents, Clarence and Jane Cravens; son, Johnny Cravens; and a niece, Tammy Cravens.
Butch was born February 26, 1945 at Herrin, IL to Clarence & Jane (Rogers) Cravens where he was raised and educated. He joined the Air Force in 1965 working as an air frame repairman and was stationed at Great Falls for a time and discharged in 1969. He married Cecilia Van Houdt August 20, 1966 in Great Falls. He worked as an auto body repairman and lived in Malta for 23 years before moving to Cut Bank. He worked for Chuck’s Paint and Body Shop for many years before ill health forced him to retire in November of 2008.
He was a member of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church. Butch was an avid hunter and fisherman who also loved woodworking and restoring cars. His greatest joy was his family and grandchildren.