William Owen Butman

READFIELD – It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of one of Readfield’s more colorful characters.  William Owen “Bill/Billy/Will” Butman, born Feb. 8, 1957, to Warren Owen (Dick) Butman and Avis Irene Dunn Butman and died on Oct. 28, 2024, in Grenoble, France.

Bill lived life on his own terms, leaving home at age 16 and hitchhiking first to Boston and later checking in from Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, California, and a number of other states. He made friends wherever he went and in later years, many of them came to visit him at his homes in Maine.

In 2010 he reconnected with a lovely woman from France he met while in Key West in the 1970s. Bill and Fre were married and moved to Lyon, France, and later, to a home in Miribel- Les-Echelles, France, where Bill reveled in updating their 1800s home among the Chartreuse mountains. Bill had never been so content as the time he spent there, riding his ebike around La Servegette hamlet, taking excursions around Europe with Fre, and keeping in touch with his family and friends via Facebook.

Bill was an accomplished carpenter, an enthusiastic musician, and a consummate host, throwing bonfire parties at their Mt. Vernon home with everyone joining in on their musical instrument of choice, hosting visitors at their homes in France, and introducing his French friends to an annual traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, turkey and all.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, his sister Linda Kinney, and his brother-in-law, Daniel Bond.  Bill is survived by his wife, Frederique Guttin-Lombard of Lyon, France, sister Crystal Bond (Rick), brothers Don Butman (Susie) and Thomas Butman (Lori), nephews Justin Bond (Ashley), Jared Bond, Christopher Bond, Evan Butman (Cindy), Kyle Butman (Amanda), and Jonathan Butman, as well as many great friends and loved ones, with a special shout out to Dale and Maria Perkins of Mt. Vernon.

Family and friends will have a celebration of Bill’s life sometime in the summer of 2025.