Donna Marie Wight Butler

Donna Marie Wight Butler, 93, died peacefully of natural causes on May 9, 2025.

Born on March 29, 1932 in Declo, ID, to Harvey J Wight and Sarah Mae Darrington Wight, Donna was the eldest of five children and grew up in Southern Idaho, mostly in Juniper and Malta. She graduated from Raft River High School in 1949.

She then went to the Southern Idaho College of Education in Albion, ID, where she met her sweetheart, Ralph Richard (“Dick”) Butler. They were married on August 9, 1950 in Malta, and were sealed in the Logan Temple in 1951. After SICE closed, they moved to Provo for Dick to attend BYU.

After Dick’s graduation, they moved for his teaching and coaching jobs at Monticello High School (UT), Malad High School (ID), and then to Davis High School in 1960, at which point they found their long-term home in Kaysville, UT.

After many years as a stay-at-home mother, Donna returned to school for a degree in education, obtaining her B.S. from Weber State College in 1973, thus starting a decades-long career in teaching, all in the first grade, at Centerville and Morgan elementary schools. She went back to school for her M.S. in education from Weber, completed in 1985.

In 1992, Donna’s family purchased a lot in Uintalands, and began construction of a cabin there. Donna spent many summers helping with that construction, and became an excellent camp cook. The cabin was one of her favorite places, where she could enjoy being with family and seeing the hummingbirds and other wildlife that visited regularly.

A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from birth, Donna had a lifetime of service in the church, including callings in primary, young women, and relief society. Dick and Donna served two fulltime missions for the church: one to Irbid, Jordan and one to Vientiane, Laos. They served as temple workers at the Bountiful temple for many years.

Her other interests included activities with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an active member of Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) and American Association of University Women (AAUW). She loved music and singing and played piano, sang often in church, and in community choirs.

She will be missed very much by her family. Survivors include her children, Anita Marie Wheeler (Steven) of Kaysville, UT, Diane Kay Christensen (Merrill) of Provo, UT; Steven Lee Butler of Bountiful, UT; David Martin Butler of Kaysville, UT; Kathryn Ann Evans (Troy) of Layton and Bryan Jay Butler (Jodi) of Albuquerque, NM; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by her father, Harvey J Wight, mother, Sarah Mae Darrington Wight, sisters Clara Vee Beyler and LaRene Kay Whittaker, brothers John (“Jack”) Harvey Wight and Harold D Wight, her son, Ralph Harvey Butler, and her great-granddaughter Emily Amber Christensen.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 11 a.m. in the 2nd Ward Chapel (“Rock Chapel”), 25 S. 200 E., Kaysville. Visitation is before the services from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Interment will be in the Kaysville City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.