Teresa Ellen Butcher, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend, passed away August 13th 2025 at the age of 88, surrounded by family and love.
Born November 30, 1936, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Alliance, Nebraska, to Mary and Edward Cody, she grew up with a passion for learning, music, and dance. She attended St. Agnes Academy, where she was an active student known for her talent as both a beautiful accordion and piano player. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1954, later attending Greeley’s Teachers College and earning her bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College.
Her lifelong love of teaching began in the classroom and extended to her home, where she shared her gift of music through piano lessons. In 1956, she married James Eugene Butcher, and together they raised their family. In 1975, they moved from Alliance to Sterling, Colorado, where she continued to educate and inspire others, teaching GED courses until the age of 75.
Her passions were many—music, her family, and traveling with friends. She was known for her laugh, her love of adventure, and the way she made everyone she met feel valued.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Eugene Butcher; her brother, Punk Cody, and his wife Karen; and her sister-in-law LaVona and husband Shorty Schommer. She is survived by her children: James Butcher and his wife Dawn, and their daughter Chelsea (Jeremy) Kuhn; Rita Arnoldy and her children Sarah (Keith) Wernsman, Justin (Julie) Arnoldy, and Kyle (Jodi) Arnoldy; and Mary Butcher and her children Cionne Butcher and Jacob Breidenbach. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, along with many dear friends whose lives she touched deeply.
Her life was a melody of kindness, dedication, and love—a song that will continue to play in the hearts of all who knew her.
Her life will be celebrated with a Funeral Mass on Thursday, August 21, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance, Nebraska. Father Matt Koperski will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. A wake service will be Wednesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Visitation on Wednesday will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Funeral Home.
Memorials may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.