Ira Frank Butler, son of Ralph and Berniece, was born on September 12, 1940 in Catskills Mountains, New York. He was raised and educated in the Jersey City, New Jersey school system. As a young boy, he was an active member of the Grace Episcopal Church where he served as an Acolyte and member of the Youth Council.In his senior year of 1959 he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and joined the Reformed Church of the Living God under the pastorship of the late Bishop William H. Hawes.In 1962 he was appointed as a local minister and youth director.It was in that same year that he joined the United States Air Force and served his country. During his time in the Air Force he attended the University of Maryland for two years and several military schools.In 1965 he returned to the United States Post Office, and during the following years received Managerial Development training at Rutgers University.Bishop Butler worked 33 years in the U.S. Postal Service, twenty-five of those years in management. In 1967 he was appointed State Youth Director and State Elder where he worked very faithfully with his pastor, Bishop Hawes, for 26 years.Bishop Ira F. Butler was a member of the founding board that established a local Bible school and the City-Wide Evangelistic Ministries in the North Jersey area.He attended North Eastern Bible College, Essex Falls, New Jersey, and graduated the New Jersey Bible Institute, Newark, New Jersey. In 1986 he became Pastor of Brown Memorial Church of the Living God in Jersey City, New Jersey.He was appointed to be a member of the Church of the Living God, Inc. Budget and Structure Team in that same year. In 1995 he was appointed assistant to the Bishop, and in 1996 was consecrated to the office of Bishop during the 67th General Assembly of the Church of the Living God, Inc.In November of 1996 he was installed as Bishop and Presiding Prelate of the Eastern-Atlantic Diocese. Bishop Butler was totally committed to the unity, growth and development of the Church of the Living God both locally and nationally. Bishop leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Eartha Butler, his three children, Ira Anthony (Denise Beatty-Butler), Cheryl Johnson, Trina Otha (Mark Otha), four grandchildren, Brianna Marie, Ira Brandon, and twins Kaitlin Katrina and Spencer Marcus, and a great granddaughter Emyrson Marie Rose. He also leaves to mourn his memory his loving sister Esther Cofield and brother Kenneth Butler.He is predeceased by his parents Ralph and Berniece Butler, his brother Ralph Butler, and sister Naomi Schuler This Online Memorial has been created to commemorate the life of Bishop Ira F. Butler. You are invited to add a Tribute in his memory. Please click "Sign Guestbook" below to add your own memories, reflections, thoughts or condolences.