Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of Accounting Franklin Eugene Butts (March 18, 1935-) was born in Yell County, Arkansas, the seventh son of Hazel Rutledge and Vernie Arthur Butts. Butts graduated from Landis High School in 1951 and then served four years in the United States Navy. He earned his B.S. degree (1959) from Appalachian State University (then Appalachian State Teachers' College). He also earned an M.A. degree (1963) from Appalachian, where one of his accomplishments was serving as Yosef, the mascot of the Mountaineers. Butts also attended the University of Northern Colorado, where he received an Ed.D. degree in 1969 and where his dissertation won the Delta Pi Epsilon National Research Award. Butts married Shirley Ann Osborne on June 7, 1958, in Landis, North Carolina. They met while both were students at Appalachian. The couple has two children: Del Eugene Butts (June 19, 1959-), who earned his B.S.B.A. degree from Appalachian and now resides in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area, and Amy Leigh Butts Winebarger (July 26, 1961-), who also earned a B.S.B.A. degree from Appalachian. Amy is married to John Thayer Winebarger and the couple has two sons, Austin Thayer (January 28, 1991-), and Adam Stanley (July 23, 1996-). Amy and her family live in the Todd, North Carolina area. Following three years as a cost accountant with Burlington Industries, Butts' teaching career began at South Georgia College. He then taught at Delta State University for eight years, joining the accounting faculty at Appalachian in 1977. He retired from his position as professor of accounting in December 1997. During his career, Butts served as the first advisor to Appalachian's Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, subsequently serving the national organization as regional director, member of the board of directors, and president. Butts' term as president coincided with the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organization. Butts will be remembered at Appalachian as a very caring and concerned faculty member and colleague. During his tenure, he received outstanding teacher awards, led several study abroad trips, taught in the university Freshman Seminar series, and served on the faculty senate. Butts' wife, Shirley, retired as director of the College of Business Advising Center at Raley Hall in 1998. His daughter Amy's office is also located in Raley Hall. Butts will undoubtedly be very involved with grandsons Austin and Adam, providing banana pudding from Mary's Kitchen (a local restaurant) to the workers in the Advising Center, and fishing with son Del at their beach house on the North Carolina coast. Butts' still maintains an office in the Department of Accounting and has already served as substitute teacher for several accounting classes. He continues to be an active Appalachian family member, and an endowed accounting scholarship was recently established in his honor. Sources: Appalachian State University files and long association. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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