Dr. Harvey Eugene Butler, Jr.

Dr. Harvey Eugene (Gene) Butler, Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on May 27, 2025, at the age of 90.
Born in Conway on April 21,1935, he was the son of the late Harvey Eugene Butler, Sr. and Allison Allen Butler. He is survived by his sister Mary Butler
Campbell, uncle Francis Ray Allen, who was like a brother to him, and sister-in-law Nevitte Clark Swink (Henry).

Gene was predeceased by his first wife Betsy Clark Butler who passed away in 1998. In 2000, he married Beulah Miles Butler who passed away in 2019. 

He leaves behind a legacy of love, dedication, and service in his three sons: Lewis Butler (Cathy), Gene Butler (Myla), and Clark Butler (Piper), all of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

He was a proud grandfather to Jordan Butler of Miami, Fields Butler of Charlotte, Brooke Butler Davis (Harris) of Summerville, Heath Butler of Columbia, Nolin Butler of Columbia, Mary Chandler Butler of Charlotte, Allen Butler of Charlotte, and Taylor Williams Todd (Hunter) of Myrtle Beach. His joy continued with his great-grandchildren, Emma and Olin Todd. Also surviving Gene are special friends Marty Corley and Ronald Hendrix.

Gene was a 1953 graduate of Conway High School, where he was a stand out in the classroom as well as on the gridiron. He was selected to play in the 1952 annual Shrine Bowl football game. He received a football scholarship to play at Presbyterian College, where he graduated in 1957. He earned his medical
degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1961 and completed his internship in Columbia in 1962. The next three years, Gene trained at the
Medical University of South Carolina where he completed a residency in Internal Medicine in 1964 and a fellowship in Cardiology in 1965.

Gene’s next stop was Fort Gordon, Georgia where he served as a Captain in the U.S. Medical Corps from 1965 through 1967. He helped establish the Cardiology Services Program where he served as its Chief of Cardiology. He had the distinguished honor of providing cardiac care to the former President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. For his outstanding service, Gene was awarded The Army Commendation Medal.

In 1967 Gene and his family moved to Myrtle Beach where he established a cardiology practice with the late Dr. Fred Nigels. He would continue to practice medicine for the next forty-one years. He dedicated his life to healing others and left an indelible mark on the field of medicine and on the countless lives he touched. Throughout his life, Gene was known for his gentle demeanor, keen intellect, and deep compassion.

In pursuit of his passion for hunting and fishing, Gene traveled the world. From the Bahamas to Alaska, from Canada to South America, he embarked on
numerous adventures with lifelong buddies too numerous to mention; however, his greatest enjoyment came in traveling to Plantersville and fishing with his father on a weekly basis in the waters of the Great Pee Dee River. After his father’s passing, he would spend every Thursday fishing for bragging rights with Ronald Hendrix, Pete Pearce and Jimmy Dusenbury and telling fish stories at the Springs Family Thursday night gatherings.

Gene served his community through his involvement on numerous boards, having presided as Chairman of the Board at Grand Strand Hospital, C&S Bank
and Coastal Academy. He served on numerous committees at the First Methodist Church where he was a member since 1967. He also was a longtime physician volunteer at Friendship House.

He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, former colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the nurses and staff of Portside Assisted Living who for the last four years provided Gene with exceptional love and care. The family would also like to express gratitude to Joyce Hill and Mary Allen who helped care for Gene for many years.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Methodist Church of Myrtle Beach, 901 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577; Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach, 291 Ronald McNair Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579; or 836 Ministries, PO Box 71017, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572.

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