Butler & Son Auto Service (Reid’s Ferry)

In 1959 Raymond Butler built his own store across the highway from Gayle’s Store.  He and his wife, Florence Gayle Butler, ran the store together while raising their two sons, Raymond, Jr. and John Robert.  Raymond and Florence eventually moved into an apartment they made in the store. Their store was well supplied with groceries as well as hardware, shoes and other household goods.  Raymond even trapped muskrats and sold the meat and pelts.  Florence raised and sold beautiful cut flowers.  Their grandson, Michael, assisted them in their later years.  John Robert now operates the store and caters primarily to hunters and fishermen and the goods within the store are limited.  During the summer months fresh vegetables are available, many of which are grown nearby and harvested on a daily basis.  Nothing could be fresher than that.

Raymond’s brother, Gerline Butler, started an automotive repair business in 1960 in the garage behind his home near Butler’s Store.  He soon built a garage next to his home and Bernice, his wife, kept books for 50 years as well as running errands for the business.  Bernice said their son Philip worked in the garage beginning at age 8.  Sometimes he would fall asleep on the creeper as a child and she would go over and pick him up to put him in bed.  Philip started working full time when he graduated from high school and he has continued to run Butler and Sons Auto Service since Gerline’s death in 2007.