Former Austin Mayor Roy Butler Has Died

Former Austin mayor, Roy Butler, has died from complications resulting from a fall on November 7. Butler, 83, was a civic leader, successful businessman and longtime law enforcement advocate.

Butler was elected Mayor of Austin in 1971, the citys first directly elected mayor. He was re-elected for a second term in 1973, receiving the most votes ever cast for an Austin Mayor, a record that stands to this day. One of his many accomplishments as Mayor was recruiting Lady Bird Johnson to help him establish the Town Lake Beautification Committee. Before Mayor Butler and Mrs. Johnson got their hands on it, Town Lake (now known as Lady Bird Lake) was an eyesore, lined with trash and weeds. Their work transformed it into the crown jewel of Austin.

"I am saddened to hear of the passing of Austins first publicly-elected Mayor, Roy Butler," said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.  "Roy was a good friend to me and my Dad and a good friend to Austin. As a young man I met Roy Butler when my Dad served as a Travis County Deputy Sheriff. Roy was a champion for philanthropy and a hero for public safety.Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mayor Roy Butler."

"We have lost a giant of a public servant whom we are so blessed to have had as our friend and mentor," said Luci Baines Johnson, the daughter of President and Mrs. Johnson. "We are so grateful to have known him, and we realize that Austin will probably not know his likes ever again."

“It was such an honor to call Roy my friend. He, Ann and Linda and I have spent many wonderful moments together," said U.S. Representative Mike McCaul.  "He will always be remembered as "Mayor Wonderful". He was the best public servant the City of Austin has ever had. We will miss him and his wonderful spirit. We always expected him to be around. I always told him that he was like a father to me to which he would always reply, "I'm too young to be your father". Indeed, he was the youngest 83 year old I've ever seen. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ann and the family.”

Butler was born March 31, 1926, in Greenville, Texas. He graduated from The University of Texas in 1948 with a degree in economics after completing a stint in the United States Navy. He completed three years of law school, supporting himself during that time by buying older cars, making minor repairs himself and then selling them from his house on payment plans. The auto business beckoned, and Butler stopped just short of earning his law degree to enter the business full time.

From his first car lot at 45th and Lamar, Butler grew his business into Roy Butler Lincoln-Mercury-Ford, which he owned from 1960-1976 and which became the largest Lincoln dealership in Texas and Oklahoma.
In 1976, he beat out 2,200 applicants for the Coors beer franchise in Central Texas. Capitol Beverage today distributes more than 40 brands of beer in Travis, Hays, Williamson and Caldwell counties.

Mayor Butler helped create the face of downtown Austin, former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd said. While other developers talked about downtown living, he built the commercial drawing cards that would bring 24/7 life to our downtown. Butler leased his property at Sixth and Lamar to Whole Foods and GSD&M; along with his tenant Book People, that corner became a magnet for the whole city.

His appetite for business was virtually limitless, and he had the Midas touch, Todd said. Among numerous other business ventures, he was a co-founder of Cellular One-now AT&T Wireless-which was the first cell phone provider in Austin. He bought KVET radio when there were only five radio stations in Austin. He grew KVET and its sister station KASE into a multi-state entity that was one of the most successful radio groups ever built. Butler sold KVET-KASE in 1999.

In late summer of 2009, Butler was honored by the Austin City Council and the Austin Crime Commission in recognition of his lifelong support of law enforcement. He was a co-founder of the Austin Crime Commission and a tireless volunteer to ensure that Austin police have the equipment and training they need.

Butler is survived by his wife Ann, to whom he was married for 61 years; his son Roy Butler Jr.; his son and daughter-in-law Edward and Renee Butler; his daughter and son-in-law Beth and Tom Granger; grandchildren Charles Granger and his wife Catherine; Louis and Roy Granger and Sheridan and Grant Butler; and great-grandchildren Lillie and Ann Granger.

Services for Mayor Butler will be held in the auditorium of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Austin on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, at 2 p.m.