Laura Butler

Richmondville- Laura Yoshiko Butler, 73, of Richmondville and Brooklyn, NY, died on February 4, 2011 at Cobleskill Regional Hospital of liver disease.

Born on December 10, 1937 in Oita, Japan, she was the daughter of Yoshihito and Chiyoko Aso. She worked as a secretary in Naha, Okinawa, Japan where she met her husband, Philip M. Butler. They were married on March 4, 1966.

During their forty-five years of marriage, Laura and Phil lived in Japan, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and New York. Laura enjoyed traveling the world and amassed a most impressive collection of souvenir plates. She used her experiences abroad as inspiration for her writings, for which she won several literary awards. Since Phil's retirement, they divided their time between Richmondville and Brooklyn.

Laura was a member of the Japanese-American United Church in Manhattan and the Japanese-American Social Services of New York.

She is survived by her husband, Philip M. Butler; her daughter: Naomi K. Butler (Jerry Holder) and two grandchildren: Aaron and Anne Holder all of Gresham, OR; a sister-in-law: Jeanne (Carl) Thatcher of Ticonderoga, NY and several nieces and nephews in Japan and America.

Cremation will take place at Vale Crematorium in Schenectady and a private memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, 171 Elm St., Cobleskill and Palmer & Shaylor Funeral Home of Middleburgh.