James Robert Butcher

James Robert "Jim" Butcher, J.D., aged 93, of Kokomo, Indiana, was gathered into the arms of his Savior, Friday, May 29, 2026, leaving behind a profound legacy of faith, public service, and legal advocacy. A devoted husband, father, statesman, and skilled attorney, Jim dedicated his life to serving his Lord and Savior, his family, community, and the State of Indiana.  

Jim was born on March 9, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, to James Otis and Beulah Iris Butcher.  Jim was united in marriage to the love of his life, Marvel M. Myland, on June 27, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan. Together, they shared nearly 69 years of deep devotion until her passing on March 26, 2022.    

Raised in a hardworking household where his father labored in Detroit steel mills, Jim excelled early, earning nine varsity sports letters in high school. After a brief stint working at the Allegheny-Ludlum Steel Mill, he attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, on an athletic scholarship. He graduated on the Dean’s List in 1955 with a B.A., having earned an additional seven major athletic letters in basketball and baseball, all while working 16 different jobs to support his young family.  

Jim went on to pursue his passion for the law, earning his L.L.B. from Valparaiso University Law School in 1958, working the midnight shift at the U.S. Sheet and Tin Mill in Gary, Indiana, to get through school. He later received his Juris Doctorate from Valparaiso in 1970.  

Jim moved to Kokomo in 1959, serving as the Director of the Kokomo and Howard County Planning Commissions and the Urban Renewal Commission.  He went to work for Youth for Christ International in Wheaton, Illinois from 1962-1964.  In 1964, he entered private practice, eventually becoming the senior partner of the Butcher, Ball, Lowry, McMahan & McClelland Law Firm, where he practiced law for 60 years. His legal career was heavily devoted to estate planning, elder law, and adoptions. He shared his expertise widely as a columnist, seminar speaker, and local television guest.  

A principled statesman, Jim served two four-year terms in the Indiana State Senate (District 21) from 1978 to 1986. During his tenure, he chaired the Economic Development & Evaluation Committee, the Sunset Committee, and the Senate Ethics Committee. He authored and sponsored numerous bills focused on estate planning, lowering inheritance taxes, and strengthening laws against drunk driving.  He considered his sponsorship and passage of the Baby Doe Bill, requiring maximal medical care for infants with disabilities, one of his crowning achievements. In 1986, he ran as a candidate for the U.S. Congress, and in 1988, he was one of ten individuals considered for an appointment to the U.S. Senate.  

His leadership earned him national and local accolades, including the Sagamore of the Wabash award, presented by Governor Robert D. Orr in 1984, Outstanding State Legislator Award (1985) by the American Legislative Exchange Council, Outstanding Republican Senator Award (1984) by Indiana Right to Life, the Howard County Legend Award (2010) from the Howard County Republican Party.  

Above all his professional achievements, Jim’s life was anchored by his deep Christian faith. A dedicated member of Bible Baptist Church in Kokomo since 1959, he served faithfully as a Deacon, Moderator, and Sunday School teacher.  

Jim had a passion for youth, ministry, and civic life, serving as a co-founder and first president of the Kokomo Area Youth for Christ, the Kokomo Christian Businessmen’s Committee, and the Kokomo Connie Mack Baseball Association. He was a member emeritus of the Board of Directors for the Kokomo Rescue Mission, served on the board of the Six County Child Evangelism Fellowship, and was the first President of the Indiana Family Institute. He was also the author of the book, No Regrets.  

In his leisure time, Jim was an avid sports enthusiast and an enthusiastic collector of Civil War and Abraham Lincoln memorabilia. He was well-known throughout central Indiana for his vivid, full-costume historical impersonations of President Abraham Lincoln for schools, civic groups, and church organizations.  

He is survived by his three children, Kevin (Carla) Butcher, Linda (Norm) Long, Jeffrey (Paula) Butcher. Jim also leaves behind a rich heritage of seven grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marvel, and his parents, James Otis and Beulah Butcher.

Jim was incredibly proud of his family, so to facilitate their ability to gather from around the country and share with our community in a funeral service celebrating Jim’s life at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at Bible Baptist Church,  2635 S. Dixon Road, Kokomo, Indiana.  Burial will follow in Albright Cemetery.  Friends are invited to visit with the family from Noon until service time at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Jim’s memory to Six County Child Evangelism Fellowship, Samaritan Care Givers, or to the Kokomo Rescue Mission.  Shirley & Stout Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.  Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.

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