Ronald LeRoy "Butch" Troutman

With family at his side, Ronald LeRoy "Butch" Troutman died Tuesday, October 25, 2016, at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona following a lengthy illness.  He was 78 years old.  Butch was born on a Friday, September 9, 1938, in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri to his parents, the late LeRoy and Maxine (Kyte) Troutman.In 1940, as a young boy, Ron moved with his family to southeast Arizona, settling in the small mining town of Clifton.  There, he was reared and enjoyed all the benefits that a quiet country life had to offer.  He was a graduated member of Clifton High School's Class of 1956.  In 1957, Ron attended Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, where he studied for one year before transferring his studies to Northern Arizona College in Flagstaff (now NAU).  In 1961, he received his Degree in Forestry from Northern Arizona College.  While attending college in Flagstaff, Butch met the love of his life, Itka Karroll Burgess.  The two had a romantic and beautiful courtship and she accepted his hand in marriage.  They wed on November 22, 1961, in Carson City, Nevada and, next month they would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary together.  As they began their married life together, the couple moved to Cimmaron, New Mexico where he worked as a state forester.  Two years later, they moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico while he continued in his work as a state forester for several more years.  The journey of their life took them to Santa Fe and then back to Las Vegas before they moved to Clear Lake Highlands in northern California where they became the owners and managers of York's Mobile Home Resort.  As Butch's family grew larger in size, he had the opportunity to move back to Arizona and settled in Show Low in 1975.  After making his home in Show Low, Butch opened up a fireplace and candle shop with his wife, Itka.  A year later, in 1976, he was able to become an associate faculty member at Northland Pioneer College (NPC), where he taught forestry for many, many years.  He retired from NPC in 2002 as the Satellite Program Facilitator and the Navajo County Program Coordinator.  Butch possessed an entrepreneurial spirit that not many could match.  While working for and teaching forestry at NPC, Ron and Itka owned and operated Crossroad Bootery and Mountain Tops Screen Printing in Show Low.  That was a business they enjoyed working in for many years.  Butch loved working with the public in any capacity and made many friends along the way.  Around this same time, Butch had the opportunity to manage the Lakeside Forestry Campground with his 2 sons, Robb and Roy as well as his longtime friend, Ed Campbell for 2 summers.  Ron was also blessed with an artistic "gene" and, among his family and friends, was known to create some beautiful masterpieces.  He possessed a unique knack in that he would "doodle" magnificent scenes on Styrofoam cups!  Dozens and dozens of others now have one of his doodled cups in their homes and now, and forever more, will consider them to be priceless treasures.Butch was a true outdoorsman.  He enjoyed going on big game hunts; especially the deer and elk hunts.  He also loved going on a good fishing trip with his grandsons.  He had many "favorite" fishing holes and the time he was able to spend with his family made it all the more special.  Butch was the "Master Rigger" who could fix just about anything.  His yard was another favorite place for him to be because he could be more creative in his endeavors to fix those things that needed his special touch.  Truly a jack-of-all-trades, Ron loved to "do for others" and help them with whatever he could.  Through the years he helped countless family members and friends with remodeling projects around their homes, all the while, working on building and remodeling his own.  He was talented in everything he did and executed his efforts with the greatest of skills and precision.  He was a man who appreciated the simple things of life.  A cold can of Miller Lite always brought a smile to his face and, if he could share that can with someone else, it seemed to make it taste better.  Butch was a man who taught, by his own example, the value of hard work and that by the "sweat of the brow" one could live a fulfilled and happy life.  Though, by nature, he was a quiet and unassuming man, he nonetheless was a gentle man.  Butch never met a stranger that he didn't immediately take a liking to.  There are literally hundreds of people in the White Mountains area who will miss his friendship and kindness.                  Ron was a wonderful husband to his "Forever Sweetheart" and she will miss him a great deal.  He was a caring father and "Daddy" to his children throughout their lives and, they too, will miss his fatherly advise and guidance.  Though the joy that his wife and children brought into his life was immense, that joy was magnified tenfold as his grandkids were born, one by one.  Family was everything to him and he was everything to them.  Ronald LeRoy Troutman is survived by his wife, Itka K. Troutman of Show Low, Arizona; 4 children:  Cindy Troutman of Show Low, Arizona, Roy (Becky) Troutman of Fort Collins, Colorado, Robb Troutman of Kona, Hawaii and Show Low, Arizona, Kimberly (Jimmy) Meek of Show Low, Arizona; his sister, Linda Loy of Carthage, Missouri; his sisters-in-law:  Sandy Troutman of Gilbert, Arizona, Cordy Burgess of Show Low, Arizona; his brother-in-law, John Burgess of Overgaard, Arizona; 10 grandchildren:  Marissa Meek, Kayla Troutman, Cody Meek, Megan Troutman, Michaela Meek, Alexandra Meek, Ryan Meek, Brian Troutman, Tyler Meek, Jimmy "Junior" Meek and he is also survived by 1 great-granddaughter, Aubree Meek.  Along with his parents, Ron was preceded in death by his brother, Danny Troutman.The public visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Friday, November 4, 2016, at Owens Livingston Mortuary - White Mountain Chapel, 320 N. 9th Street in Show Low, Arizona.  The funeral service will begin 10:00 A.M., Saturday, November 5, 2016, at the mortuary where additional visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. to 9:45 A.M.  The concluding service will immediately follow at the Show Low Cemetery.Memorial contributions to:  The Summit Healthcare Cancer Center, c/o:  Julie Forney, 2500 Hunt Drive, Suite-I, Show Low, Arizona  85901 have been suggested by his family.  Butch's family is thankful for all of the expressions of sympathy they have received during this difficult time and are especially grateful for all of the prayers offered up on their behalf.