Honoring Gertrude “Googie” Butler: A Legacy of Friendship, Courage, and Advocacy
By John N. Walsh, III
Respectfully submitted October 10, 2025

Named for Gertrude “Googie” Butler, the founder of Compeer Buffalo, the organization’s annual Googie Butler Awards promote mental wellness through meaningful friendships. Each year, the awards honor individuals and organizations who embody compassion, courage, and the spirit of friendship — those who help others facing setbacks and pain.

This year, Compeer saluted a family who have courageously endured sadness and loss, an organization that has supported others with heart and generosity, and a volunteer who has selflessly offered hope and companionship to people navigating life’s storms. The recognitions of the Muni Family, Chiavetta’s, and Ellen Daly would, without a doubt, have Googie cheering loudly from distant bleachers.

In honoring his beloved aunt, John N. Walsh, III, Chairman of Walsh Insurance, shared with a smile:

“Googie was born a Walsh before she improved her shanty Irish roots and significantly elevated her standing as a Butler. But we retain family bragging rights nonetheless.”

Her family adored her. Along with her dear friend Pat Garman, who also offered steadfast support to Compeer and the Mental Health Association of WNY, Googie was a true team player — humble, devoted, and never focused on herself.

Mr. Walsh noted,

“Googie would be particularly thankful for the caring staff who provide such skill and dedication at Compeer each and every day. And she’d remain proud that her son, EJ Butler, and his family have generously carried Compeer’s torch in so many ways as well.”

Her son Chris Butler described his mother as “classy, tenacious, an eloquent speaker, with a phenomenal sense of humor — and a heroic battler.”

“Googie believed that you need laughter in your life, and if it’s elusive, perhaps a friend can help you find it.”

Chris fondly remembered how even through her courageous battle with cancer, Googie’s humor remained intact. She loved swimming in stylish bathing caps — and late in her illness, she ordered several outrageously theatrical versions. Some arrived after her passing, her “last gift of laughter” to her family.

Chris shared his deep gratitude:

“I am most grateful and proud of my parents for being incredible role models in their handling of life’s ups and downs and their perseverance. Each was the bellwether for their seven children in dealing with their own setbacks in life.”

Mr. Walsh reflected,

“Googie faced severe challenges — her own fatal cancer, the numbing suicide of her beloved daughter Molly, her husband’s business pressures, her own mental illness and time of institutionalization. She came through such personal travail with quiet and amazing strength.”

Former Assemblyman Bill Hoyt once told Walsh,

“Nobody in the private sector has done more to pass mental health legislation than Googie. She clearly taught all she met that mental illness is a disease, not a stigma. She was such an effective advocate — such a pain in the ass — but I don’t know anyone I admire more.”

Despite her own mental health struggles, Googie became a leader at both the Mental Health Association of WNY and Compeer. The Gertrude Butler Rehabilitation Center, which stands across from the AKG Museum and beside Buffalo State University, remains a testament to her impact and advocacy.

Walsh shared that just before her passing, Googie called him to her side.

“I expected some endearing words from my beloved aunt,” he said. “Instead, she gave me the names of four elected officials, their phone numbers, and the essence of two pending bills. She made me promise to call them, to tell them she was dying but would be looking down — or up — depending on how they saw her likely resting place. She made me promise to advocate fiercely.”

He fulfilled that promise.

“Those bills passed because of her. Those officials likely were afraid of her too, and they deeply respected her as Bill Hoyt had said.”

Googie’s children — Kate, Tim, Chris, Becky, EJ, Andy, and Molly (of blessed memory) — continue to live by her example. Kate recalled with humor,

“My God, they had seven of us, what were they thinking?”

She added,

“Our years were often chaotic and unsettling, but we forged deep connections tied together with Irish humor, grit, and love for one another. Mom was smart and caring, often taking on more than she could handle. She showed us the courage and determination to live a life that has meaning. She overcame much and, in the process, found countless ways to help others with their struggles. Compeer meant so much to her.”

Kate also reflected on her mother’s later years:

“As she found her sanity, her gifts reemerged. As a grandmother, she found new ways to help us and others struggling with mental illness. We’re so proud of her and comforted that she found her calling.”

In closing, Mr. Walsh reflected on what Googie might say to us today:

“Let us admit that we see a divided world — an unfair focus on power and entitlement — and it would be tempting to just wring our hands. But Googie would remind us that we are all in this together. She’d ask us to step up and take action. To care. To make a difference. If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

He added,

“On behalf of Googie, sincere love to Ellen Daly, to the Chiavetta family, and to the Muni family. Then, as the warmth of friendship surrounds us, she’d probably remind us that fame is fleeting. ‘Get up and help someone,’ she’d urge. Everyone needs a friend.”

Googie lived by a simple, powerful code:

“Do what thy personhood bids thee do.
From none but self expect applause.
She noblest lives and is remembered
Who keeps her self-made laws.”

Today, Compeer honors not just Googie’s name but her enduring message — that friendship heals, courage inspires, and laughter carries us through. Her life remains a beacon of hope and a reminder that one person’s compassion can change countless lives.