Bula Fay Butler Renne Keeton 87 of Port Orange Florida passed away February 19 2010 at home surrounded by her family. Bula was born June 7 1922 at home in Brantsburg near Madison in Jefferson County Indiana. She was the daughter of Hallie Dunaway of Carrollton Kentucky and William Franklin Butler of Trimble County Kentucky. Bula was a gracious lady an astute business woman a kind generous volunteer with both her time and her money an example and inspiration to her many friends family and colleagues. She was a beloved mother to her three daughters.

William and Hallie instilled a work ethic in Bula that she sustained throughout her life. Bula and her brothers helped milk the Butler Dairy herd twice a day - at 4:00 and 4:00. Being children of the Depression they learned from their parents to be thankful for the good times and happiness and for the ability to laugh at themselves.

Bula was graduated from Central High School in Madison on May 8 1940. She attended Purdue University but left at the outbreak of World War II to serve with the U.S. Civil Service as a junior engineer testing munitions at the Jefferson Proving Ground near her hometown.

At the age of 20 Bula became the first woman to take the oath of office as a WAVE in Louisville Kentucky. She served her country as a gunnery instructor during WWII and was posted to the Naval Air Station at DeLand Florida where she trained tail gunners.

After the war she attended the Chicago Fashion School. Her merchandising career began when she served as a buyer for the H. P. Wasson Department Store in Indianapolis Indiana from 1946 to 1949. She was a buyer for Emery Bird Thayer Department Store in Kansas City Missouri from 1949 to 1951.

Bula returned to her hometown in 1951 where she opened her first store The Town Shop on Madison's Main Street. Seasonal buying trips to New York City kept the women of Madison well-dressed and fashionable year after year! She was instrumental in bringing the credit card to Madison's downtown business district. She remained on the cutting edge of innovation throughout her business career.

In 1961 she married Carl Theodore "Ted" Renne and became the mother of his three children Karen Sally and Margot. She was a wonderful and beloved mother to the girls making them behave dress well and eat their leafy greens. On the business front Bula and Ted moved the store to a larger building and renamed it Bula's Inc.

Throughout the seventies she continued to upgrade and remodel her store. In 1972 she was widowed and in 1974 married Dr. Melvin Keeton. Bula was widowed again in 1977.

In 1981 she sold Bula's Inc. and a year later opened the first antique mall in southern Indiana. Bula operated the Broadway Antique Mall in the old Butler dairy building. She managed to sell the antique mall in a down market so she could begin new adventures.

After retiring she indulged her love of travel by being one of the first visitors to China. In addition to traveling she enjoyed spending more time with her grandchildren reading doing needlepoint sewing and cultivating the roses she loved.

Bula was a long time active member of the First Christian Church. She was a past president of the American Cancer Society and the Downtown Merchants' Society which she helped organize; a member of the Madison Country Club Central High School Alumni Association the Madison Township Advisory Council and the Jefferson County Council. In 1982 Bula was named the recipient of the Dwight Mills Motivation Award by the Madison Business and Professional Association.

In 1984 she started wintering in Florida returning in the spring for the American Cancer Society's daffodil sale - filling her basement with hundreds of daffodils. With each passing year she stayed longer and longer in Florida. In 1995 she made Florida her permanent home and became a vital member of the Sandcastle community in Ponce Inlet.

Bula was an avid and canny bridge player a member of the Ponce Inlet Women's Club and Westminster by the Sea Presbyterian Church.

She moved to her apartment at Countryside Lakes in Port Orange in 2004 where she added her smiles happy spirit and kindness to her new home. She was the kind of person who was content and happy wherever she was. One of her favorite sayings was "you make your own happiness." She knew how to do that and share it with others.

Bula was preceded in death by her parents Ted Renne Melvin Keeton her brother Buford and her beloved niece Debra Butler.

She is survived by her daughters Karen (Jim) Bukhalter of Ponce Inlet Florida; Sally (Allan) Murphy of Bloomington Indiana; and Margot (Jim) Payne of Greencastle Indiana; her grandchildren Ted Burkhalter stationed at Fort Rucker Alabama; Mark Burkhalter Boynton Beach Florida; Ben and Clancy Murphy Bozeman Montana; Renne Kathleen Payne Bloomington Indiana; and Ryan Payne Greencastle Indiana. Also she is survived by her brother Bill Butler of Ocala Florida; nephews Steve Butler Pensacola Florida and Gary Butler Colombia South Carolina; nephew Dr. David Butler Madison Indiana; niece Mary Jane Couch Palm Bay Florida.

A memorial service in her honor will be held at Countryside Lakes 941 Village Trail
Port Orange FL 32127 on Wednesday February 24th at 10.30 in the atrium. Condolences for the family may be shared at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com.