Randle William Butler, III.

On May 17, 2025, Randle William Butler, III. went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Randle was born on February 13, 1948, in New Orleans, LA, to Elizabeth Smith Butler and Randle William Butler, Jr.

Randle attended high school at East Jefferson High School in Metairie, Louisiana and graduated in 1965. He served as a sergeant in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, then later attended Louisiana State University, where he received his Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from LSU in 1971. In his college years, Randle played Hammond B-3 organ as a member of several blues and rock bands in and around New Orleans.

After graduating from LSU, he went on to have a successful career as an engineer, working for a number of companies such as Schlumberger Oil Field Services, Mobil Oil Corporation, and Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation. Randle had a special affinity for Mitchell Energy, because he met his wife, Cynthia, there. His former boss, Homer Hershey, would also later become his father-in-law.

Randle eventually left Mitchell Energy to join Landmark Graphics in Houston, launching a decades-long career in IT and network engineering for companies such as PDC, ACS, Xerox, and ATOS. After semi-retiring in 2021, Randle worked part-time for Coleman Oil Company in Shreveport, LA, where he could keep active and enjoy the comradery of his boss, Mark, and his work colleagues, Hebert, Lee, and Mike.

As a child, Randle had fond memories of visiting his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Albert Clifton Smith, and his first cousins, Linda, Becky and Margaret in South Carolina. He also loved visiting his Grandmother Butler in Nashville, TN. Randle began bowling in tournaments when he was a teenager, and was later selected for the LSU Bowling Team. In the 1980s, he became a member of the PBA and bowled on its Southwest Regional Tour. He loved teaching young people how to bowl. One of his last students was Michael Hall, of whom Randle was very proud.

Randle is survived by his wife, Cynthia Harper Butler, his two stepchildren whom he loved as his own, Shauna Slack Allen (Jeremy) of Sarepta, LA, and Lee Slack of Shreveport, LA, his two children that he adored, Kylie Butler of Denton, TX, and Jeanne-Renee Butler Voelker (Eric) of Grapevine, TX. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Noel Allen (Sidney) and Kerianne Allen; his mother-in-law, Forea “Rhea” Rowland Hershey of The Woodlands, TX; his siblings, Elizabeth Butler Leonard of Bossier City, LA, Jane Butler DeVinney of Gainesville, FL, and John David Butler (Laree) of Tierra Verde, FL; as well as many dear in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

During his last months of his life, Randle was blessed to have constant daily care from his wife Cynthia, his son Lee, his daughter Shauna, and her husband, Jeremy. His cousins, Bart and Donna DeMoss, were always available to help and did so on many occasions. Randle's siblings, John and Elizabeth, his mother-in-law, Rhea, his brother-in-law, Mark Shields, and his daughters, Jeanne-Renee and Kylie, were all so good to surround him with love and comfort. Pastors Danny Moffitt and Amy Hollis of Believer’s Worship Center in Benton, LA, were faithful to visit Randle and pray with him regularly in his last weeks. To all who lent their strength and kindness, we send our love and our deepest thanks, and we are forever grateful.

Randle’s memorial service will be held at Believer’s Worship Center in Benton, LA on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 1:00 PM. We ask that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to: "In Honor of Randle Butler" Believer’s Worship Center, P.O. Box 326, Benton, LA 71106.