Ruth Butler was born in Huntington to William Freeman Butler and Mary Elizabeth Bryan Butler. She graduated from Marshall College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1940.  

William Freeman Butler started the family business, Butler Furniture, about 1907 in a tiny store across the street from where the building now stands on 20th Street.

In 1913, he decided to move the store across the dirt road and built half of the building we see today. The 20th Street Baptist Church now occupies Butler Furniture’s original space.

After Ruth’s father died in 1927, John Butler, Ruth’s brother, took over the business at age 17. Ruth later set aside her plans to study medicine to help her brother with Butler Furniture.

The brother and sister found much success in their partnership over the following decades until they sold the business and retired in 1987.

A long-time supporter of Marshall University, Ruth has made many generous contributions to the Athletics department and has established scholarships in several of the university’s schools, including the Marshall University School of Medicine and School of Nursing.

She also can be credited with funding our own Lewis College of Business Executive in Residence Program.