Jason Patrick Butler's Obituary
Jason Patrick Butler, 55, of Longview, TX, passed away in a one-vehicle motorcycle
accident on April 28, 2023.
Jason was born on September 19, 1967, to Annette Logan Wheldon and John Patrick
Butler in Milton, Florida. Jason spent his early years on the move, eventually settling in Denton,
Texas in 1979. In Denton, Jason was an avid member of the local Boy Scouts; he was elected
to the Order of the Arrow, an honor society for scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and
Law in their daily lives. He also served as captain of Denton High School’s varsity swim team.
Upon graduating in 1985, Jason spent a semester at the University of West Florida
studying Marine Biology. He soon found his passions lay elsewhere and moved back home to
study at the University of North Texas in Denton. It was there that he met his wife, Shelly Cox
Butler. Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design in 1991 and started
his career in Dallas, Texas, working for the prestigious advertising agency Latitude, an affiliate of
The Richards Group. While there, Jason thrived professionally and creatively, working on
accounts such as Dr. Pepper, a personal favorite. He took great pride in creating point of
purchase displays and even custom-designed a Dr. Pepper can for the film Mission to Mars.
Jason and Shelly married on November 7, 1992, buying their first home together in
1994. They welcomed their first daughter, Lindsey, in 1997, the same year Jason started his
own advertising agency, Butler Creative Service. Some of the first accounts Jason acquired
were Brinker International’s Corner Bakery Cafe, as well as Cozymel’s. He established personal
relationships with individuals on these accounts that would last a lifetime. Jason and Shelly
welcomed their second daughter, Morgan, in 1999. Shortly after Morgan’s first birthday, the
family moved to Longview, Texas.
In 2001, Jason Butler joined creative forces with Holly Forbes to form Forbes & Butler
Visual Communications, Inc. Over the next 22 years, Jason and Holly’s expertise as designers
helped the firm expand the scope of the services they offered. They created a free-thinking,
compassionate, and creative work environment. Jason thought the world of his coworkers and
considered them part of his family. They handled a vast array of clients, from large corporate
franchise campaigns to start-up business logos and non-profit branding. Jason was a creative
powerhouse who approached every project with the same passion and excellence. During this
time, he was heavily involved in a variety of organizations and nonprofits, dedicated to bettering
the local community. In 2015, Jason joined the Longview Main Street Board of Directors, where
he proudly served for the rest of his lifetime. Jason was ecstatic to witness the growth of
Downtown Longview.
Jason was an enthusiastic hobbyist. He enjoyed spending weekends camping, hiking,
and kayaking. He also loved music, a passion he shared closely with his daughters. Above all,
Jason found his greatest joy in screen printing, which he produced out of the family’s garage. In
2018, he founded Jason Butler Fine Art Screen Print and soon began exhibiting his art in
Longview’s quarterly ArtWalks, where he was able to personally connect with others over his
work. Jason always cherished bringing the memories of his clients to life.
Above all else, Jason passionately loved his girls Shelly, Lindsey and Morgan, and his
four-legged friends, Baxter, Bella and all of their pets throughout the years. Every year, the
family made it a point to take a family vacation together, whether it was spent at Pensacola
Beach, in the mountains skiing or in the desert. If he was with his girls, he was happy.
Amongst his peers, Jason was known as the life of the party. His laughter was infectious
and he loved bringing others laughter and joy. He will be dearly missed by his friends and family,
along with the entire Longview community. Jason was a shining pillar of his community,
exemplifying what it means to be a leader, advocate, and friend.
Jason is survived by parents Annette and Rick Wheldon and John Patrick Butler; wife
Shelly Cox Butler; daughters Lindsey and Morgan Butler; parents-in-law John and Jan
McKinnon and Jerry Cox; aunts Vicki Logan-Corkren and Toni Logan Webb; cousins Claire
Corken Kostopoulos, Pete Kostopoulos, and their children, Owen and Anna; cousins Natasha
Acker, Shawn Acker and their sons, Logan and Connor; uncle Jimmie Butler; sisters-in-law
Robin Lindsey Hightower, Paige Lindsey, and their respective children: Madilynne
Lindsey-Halling and husband Spencer Halling, Adam Hightower, Norah Lindsey, and Margot
Lindsey; Aunt Nancy Lindsey; Aunt Betty Martin and Tom Jackson; Uncle Bob Adams and wife
Pat Adams; and numerous cousins and beloved friends.
There will be a Come and Go Celebration of Life this coming Saturday, May 6th from
2-5pm at their home, 1503 Noble Drive. In lieu of flowers, the family would like contributions
toward a mural to be created featuring one of Jason’s screen prints. The mural will be located
within the 100 Acres of Heritage and the Cultural District since Jason was currently serving on
the Main Street board, dedicated to downtown, and the Arts!Longview district.
Arts!Longview donation information:
https://artslongview.square.site/
Venmo @artslongview
PO Box 3652, Longview, TX 75606
What’s your fondest memory of Jason?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jason?
Share a story where Jason's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jason you’ll never forget.
How did Jason make you smile?