Maxine L Butler

Maxine Louise Butler was born June 21, 1952 at Chelsea Naval Hospital near Cambridge, Massachusetts to Robert Henry Butler and Leola Evelyn (Moore) Butler. She died October 19, 2022, in Berkeley, California from Covid-19 and pancreatic cancer. She was 70.

Maxine was preceded in death by her mother, father, cousin Michelle, aunts Louise, Harriett, Marlon, Eileen, Naomi and Uncle Charles.

She attended elementary school in Long Beach, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Groton, Ct; and San Diego. She graduated in 1970 from St. Joseph Notre Dame High School where she played intramural volleyball and was a cheerleader.

She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in music in 1976. There she trained in early classical and modern vocal styles, singing in English, German, Italian and French. Later in life she learned Spanish and Tagalog and also learned to sing in Hebrew. She used her love of music to become a sacred concert singer and music teacher.

Maxine was a lyric soprano with the Oakland Symphony Chorus and her voice was a constant presence at Christian Cathedral in Oakland. She was committed to Christ and spent many hours sharing his word in area care homes.

She lived in North Oakland and was very active in the Golden Gate Community Association.

Maxine is survived by brothers Robert, Jr and Mark; sisters Alicia, Melissa, Leya Kerr and Liz Kaylean; stepmother Marites, cousins Linda, Cherylle, Bruce, Doug, Anthony, Yvette, Yvonne, James, Daniel, Crissy, Sean, Franklyn, Andre, Robbin, Anthony; and many nieces, nephews and in-laws.

She is greatly missed by her biological family, her church family, her many friends and colleagues, all who loved her dearly.

Services will be held on Monday, November 14 at 11am at Christian Cathedral, 2433 Coolidge Avenue, Oakland.

The service can be viewed at www.ceca.online.church.

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