Lily Esther Butters (March 5, 1894 – June 3, 1980) was a Canadian youth disability

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

Biography

Butters was born on March 5, 1894 in Newcastle upon Tyne. On August 1, 1914, she married John William Butters. During World War I, John served in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. After returning in 1918, they had a son James Atkins. On May 20, 1929, they moved to

Austin, Quebec Austin is a municipality on the western shore of Lake Memphremagog, part of the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec, Canada. It was home to inventor Reginald Fessenden. It is named after Nicholas Austin ...

to escape poverty in England. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

and her children serving in World War II caused her health to deteriorate. She enrolled in a nursing a class in Montreal. Butters founded the Cecil Butters Memorial Hospital, or the Butters Centre, in her farmhouse, which cared for mentally disabled children. It was named in honour of her son, Cecil. In 1968, it had 325 occupants. It operated from 1947 to 1990. After her husband died on February 2, 1964, a new building for her hospital was constructed after receiving $230,000 in funding from

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Paul Desruisseaux Paul Desruisseaux (May 1, 1905 – February 2, 1982) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician. Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he studied law at the Université de Montréal and was called to the Quebec bar in 1934. He was the owner ...

. On June 23, 1972, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

References

1894 births 1980 deaths Officers of the Order of Canada Activists from Quebec People from Newcastle upon Tyne Canadian disability rights activists {{canada-activist-stub