Esther Fern Butterfield, 90, of Ocala passed away on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at West Marion Community Hospital in Ocala. Esther was a native of Limestone, Maine where she was chosen as Mrs. Maine in the 1960 Mrs. America contest. She and her family moved to Miami Florida in 1967. They moved to the Ocala area in 1987. She graduated from NOVA University with a Master’s Degree in Education and taught at Miami Dade and Marion County Public Schools. She earned her Master Gardener credential and volunteered 15 years of service to Taylor Gardens in Ocala.
She is survived by her loving husband, Gilbert Butterfield of Ocala; son, Vaughn (Joan) Butterfield of Pleasant Lake, Michigan; daughter, Judy (the late Eduardo) Ortiz of Miami, FL; four grandchildren; and eleven great grandchildren.
A memorial service was held for her at her home on October 1, 2018.