Ottawa’s longtime ‘Music Man’ dies at 92
By JENALEA MYERS, Herald Staff Writer
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Walter Butler, known to many as Ottawa’s Music Man, died Tuesday at the age of 92.
“He did a lot for Ottawa,” friend Bob Hill said. “He was a good citizen for Ottawa to have.”
Hill said he and Butler knew each other for decades.
“I’ve been in the banking business, and he was in the music business for a long time,” he said. “He was always upbeat about everything he was doing.”
Butler conducted the Richmond City Band in the 1940s. When he took over the band there were 12 members, but by the time he stepped down in 1946, the band had 50 members.
Recently, Butler donated the hat, baton, white gloves and dark wool band uniform he wore as Richmond’s band director to the Richmond Community Museum.
As a young man, Butler started work in 1934 for the Saunders Music Store, 322 S. Main St., in downtown Ottawa. It was the start of a 62-year association with the music store.
He purchased the store in 1956, and it carried his name until his retirement in 1996. After retiring, he continued to play in the Ottawa City Band.
As the owner of the music store, Butler offered customers his “philosophy” — if they’d wanted an instrument, he’d rent it to them for three months and give them a free music lesson once a month. If at the end of three months, they couldn’t play it, he’d take the instrument back. If they kept it, he’d apply the rental to the purchase price.
In addition to running the store, he had been a band director in Richmond, Michigan Valley and Waverly. He also taught at the University of Kansas and Washburn and Baker universities.
Funeral arrangements for Butler are incomplete and will be announced later by Dengel & Son Mortuary.
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