ABP Blog
ABP Announcement - Francis Butler
Posted: 10/11/09It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and premature death of the Chair of the ABP, Francis Butler. Following a very short illness, Francis died on Saturday 6th November, with his wife, his son and his daughter by his bedside.
A founding member of the ABP and a long-standing member of the Board, Francis has been an outstanding Chair of the Association. Francis made it clear at this year’s elections that he did not intend to stand again as Chair, and the Board is in the middle of the process of electing a successor; until that process is complete Carol Cole, as deputy, will take the chair, but Francis had intended to remain on the Board. Both the Board and the wider Association will sorely miss his wisdom, as well as his liveliness and good humour. An obituary will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Newsletter.
Francis was such an energetic and enthusiastic individual, that the news of his death is difficult to absorb. Dedicated to the profession and to the ABP, he was the ideal Chair of our Association, skilfully steering us at a difficult stage in our development towards a more robust future, and doing so with unfailing good humour, characteristic charm and a deft touch. His popularity with our membership could not have been more evident than at our most recent conference in May, where he was rightly acknowledged for his exceptional contribution. The standing ovation he received following his announcement of his intention to retire as Chair was testament to the esteem in which he was held by all of us.