Norman Leroy Button

He was born November 16, 1938, in Corry, PA the first-born child of James and Ellen (Johnson) Button and grew up in the village of Panama. He was a 1956 graduate of Panama Central School. In his early years he worked at the former Proto Tool Company in Jamestown and as a construction laborer.

In 1969 he began a 27-year career in the insurance business as a sales agent and then district manager for Prudential Insurance and later Chautauqua General Insurance. He earned several sales achievement awards and a 20-year distinguished service award from Prudential. During those years he traveled the highways and back roads of southwestern and southern Chautauqua County selling life insurance and home owner’s policies and collecting premiums in person. He made personal contacts with many people during that time and countless friends along the way while helping people manage crisis moments in their lives.

After retiring from the insurance business, and wanting to stay productive, he worked for a time at Southern Tier Supply, Home Depot and then the Lakewood Yacht Club where he took care of general maintenance and was respected for keeping things in good repair.

Norm was active in his community and had many interests along the way. He was a member of the Panama Volunteer Fire Department and the Ashville Volunteer Fire Department earning lifetime membership for a combined 50 years of service.

In the early 1970’s he was a paramedic with the former Chautauqua County Ambulance Service. He had many harrowing tales from that work. He also enjoyed stock-car racing at Stateline and Eriez speedways where he was part of the team that ran late-model car “01” driven by Bill Sherman of Busti.

In the late 1980’s he served on the Panama Central School Board of Education, serving as its President during tumultuous times in the district. He often said he only wanted to do what was best for the taxpayers and the school regardless of the personal consequences.

Norm was a long-time member of the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. He enjoyed playing tickets at the bar on Friday and Saturday nights, having a couple of Manhattans with dinner and chatting with the wait-staff.

Most of all, Norm had a lifelong love of making maple syrup and hunting deer. He first began making syrup as a youth, tapping trees, then gathering and boiling sap in a variety of homemade rigs. Not for money, but the sheer enjoyment of the process. Later in life, he and neighborhood pals Mike Sard, Dave Barr, and Jim Roraback made gallons of syrup in his backyard “Sweet Retreat”, enjoying a fair amount of Milwaukee’s Best while watching the sap boil.

As to hunting, he had many stories of annual hunts with friends and family; but one of his favorites was of first hunting as a 16-year-old in the woods behind Panama School in the early morning hours and then going to school and storing his shotgun in his locker; an act that would prompt a 5-alarm lockdown today. He enjoyed getting into the woods each year until he was 80.

Norm was preceded in death by his parents; sister Norene Lindquist; and brother John Button. Also, foster daughter Denise Donelson; grandson Jeremie Donelson; and foster son Rodney Asel.

He is survived by his wife Sheryle Button; sons Todd Button of Panama, and Greg (Jennifer) Button of Sherrills Ford, NC; daughter Mindy Markiewicz of Erie, PA; stepson Michael Ford of Jamestown; and foster son Patrick (Donna) Eimers of Jacksonville, FL. He is further survived by grandchildren Mitchell (Anna) Button of Davidson, NC; Erik (Allison) Button of Charlotte, NC; Ashley (Zac) Maas of Harbor Creek, PA; Kristin (Anil) Melathe of Philadelphia, PA; Ryan (Abby) Markiewicz of Fairview, PA; Danielle Donelson of Clarksville, TN; 7 great-grandchildren; sister Sharon Rea of Lakewood, NY; and several nieces and nephews. He further leaves behind his long-time friends Lynn Hartley of Jamestown and Raymond Fashano of Jamestown.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of UPMC Chautauqua who tended to Norm’s needs and comfort in his last days.

The memorial service will be held at 1 pm Monday in the Lind Funeral Home, where friends will be received from 11 am to 1 pm Monday.

Donations in remembrance of Norm can be made to the Ashville Volunteer Fire Department, Watts Flats Methodist Church or Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care.

You may leave words of condolence at www.lind funeralhome.com.