Harry W. Button

On Monday, August 5, 2019, Harry W. Button passed away at the age of 83. His was a life filled with love, laughter, and service.

Funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, August 9, 2019 at St. James Lutheran Church, Rock Island.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 8, 2019 at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island. 

Harry was born on February 9, 1936, to Henry and Elena Button of Waterloo, Iowa. Harry graduated from Waterloo High in 1954 and attended Wartburg College.  He served in the United States Army 1958-1962 and was stationed at Fort Knox Kentucky. He was married to Dorothy (Nieukirk) Button (d 2001) 1958-1969, and they had four children. He was married to Kay (Huntington) Button from 1971 until her death in 1975.

After Harry’s service, he began working at KFJB, the local radio station in Marshalltown Iowa as a morning news personality. In 1967 Harry moved on to a long, enjoyable career with the Chambers of Commerce of Marshalltown, IA, Waterloo, IA, Alton, IL, Quincy, IL, and Marion, OH sharing his talents and fabulous sense of humor with people throughout the Midwest until his retirement in 1998. He later settled in Jerseyville, IL until his move to Rock Island Illinois in 2018.

Harry enjoyed puns, baseball, theater, and choir. He was active in the Lutheran Church throughout his life and was blessed to have many pastors who enjoyed discussing with him all aspects of Christianity. He had a lifelong passion for technology and electronics. As a career lobbyist he enjoyed engaging in debate over religion, politics and the news of the day. In his retirement in Jerseyville, he served as treasurer for Resurrection Lutheran Church in Godfrey, become close friends with his pastor, Reverend Ken Tegtmeier.

Harry was preceded in death by many friends and family, including some terrific guys he shared coffee with twice a week in Jerseyville while they debated answers to great mysteries. He is survived by his sisters, Betty (Button) Miller and Ruth (Button) Grau, his four children, Doug Button, Michael Button, Julie (Button) Hastings, and Peggy Button, and seven grandchildren, Chris Hanson, Matthew Hanson, Deni Parker, Daisy Parker, Dustin Parker, Charlie Button, and Missy Button.

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