The Rev. Mary Alice Butkofsky

Please visit her Memoirs at https://maryalicememoirs.wordpress.com/ The Reverend Mary Alice Butkofsky, 98, of Lititz, PA passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2019. Born in Allentown, PA she was the daughter of the late Howard Tobias Weaver and Daisy Edith Weaver (Blose). She graduated from Ursinus College with a major in Political Science in 1943. Mary spent three summers at Union Theological Seminary, she graduated from Hartford Theological Seminary with a MA in Religious Education and received an MDiv from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1977. She married the late Rev. Dr. Edward O. Butkofsky on April 16, 1947. They had four children: John Howard, Karen Jean, Martha Helene Boyer, and Richard Nevin. Mary Alice first taught in Berks County, then taught at Riverside Church and was a proof reader for Reinhold Niebuhr at Union Theological Seminary in NYC. She served alongside her pastor husband at churches in Shamokin (St. John’s UCC), Hellertown (First UCC) and Harrisburg (Salem UCC). Mary taught at high schools: John Harris (1962-1969), William Penn (1963-64), and Cedar Cliff (1969-71). She did long-term substituting until 1994. After her ordination in 1977, she served as Pastor of St. Matthew’s UCC in Spring Glen (1976-81), Interim Associate at Chapel Hill UCC in Camp Hill (1983-84), and as a Chaplain at Harrisburg General Hospital (1981-83). From 1984 to 1994, she worked as a guest preacher at various churches speaking on her Peace-Making trips to the Soviet Union, Cuba, Germany, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Spain. She served on several national boards, including UCC Board for Homeland Ministries (1983-89), the UCC National Welfare Committee (the 1990’s), the International Torch Club (a literacy society), in which she served as Regional Director of PA, DE, NJ. Mary joined the Harrisburg and Lancaster Torch Clubs and was elected to the International Board from 1994-2001. She received both the Gold and Silver Awards from Torch International, Mary was a member of Disciples United Church and Church of the Apostles, both of Lancaster. She also served on the United Nations Board of Central PA, the Penn Central Conference Justice and Peace Ministries Team for over 25 years and the Interfaith Lancaster Committee on Peace and Justice. Mary also served on the Latin American Study Group and the Israeli-Palestine Study Group. Earlier nationally, she served on the Women’s Guild of the UCC and as Vice President of the Regional Women’s Guild. Mary trained youth to create and participate in liturgical dramas, worship and dance. She attended 13 meetings of the national General Synod of the UCC. Mary Alice lived at Brethren Village in Lancaster since 1994. She was preceded in death by her two sons, John Howard and Richard Nevin; her husband of 37 years, and her two sisters, Kathryn Moore and the Rev. Beatrice W. McConnell. Mary Alice is survived by her two daughters, Karen Jean Turner of Jonestown, Martha Helene Boyer (David) of York; her two grandchildren, Elisabeth Deborah Turner and Andrew Edward Boyer. She is also survived by her nephew and niece, Mark and Connie McConnell and their children, Kathy and Nicholas and many other relatives and friends. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, October 25, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Church of the Apostles, 1850 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603. The family will receive friends starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Church. Interment will take place at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Shamokin, PA on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Memorial contributions will be given to the Church of the Apostles, 1850 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603, and Lancaster Theological Seminary, 555 West James Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.