A dedicated father, son, and brother, Albert Boardman “Bert” Butler V, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 58 in Charlottesville, Virginia on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Bert was born in 1966 in Silver Springs, Maryland to Hope Okuno and Albert Boardman “Al” Butler, IV, and moved with his family at the age of four months to Charlottesville, Virginia, which was the place he always called home.

A 1984 graduate of Albemarle County High School, Bert was a star soccer player and an exemplary student. In 1988, Bert received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Virginia. During his college years, Bert was proudly initiated into the Omicron Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Bert later went on to obtain his Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University. A successful banking career with Wachovia followed in Charlotte, North Carolina, until the call of home and his beloved UVA brought Bert and his family back to Charlottesville where Bert served as a Senior Financial Analyst in the Office of the Dean of the UVA School of Medicine for 19 years.

In 2003, Bert was overjoyed to welcome to the world his daughter and only child, Virginia Elaine “Lainey” Butler, who remained the apple of his eye throughout his entire life. Never was there a prouder or more loving “Horse Dad” to a horse crazy girl and the many mounts she rode throughout the years. From the start, (and it was an early one in more ways than one), Bert cheered Lainey on at every horse show, fox hunt, 4-H meeting, knowledge competition, and Pony Club Rally imaginable, culminating in cheering Lainey on as he proudly watched her compete on the Equestrian Team at Sweet Briar College. Whether it was getting Lainey to the barn at 5:00 a.m., lugging the tack trunk, mucking stalls, or flipping burgers on the grill for Lainey and her fellow club members, Bert was there, supporting his daughter every step of the way. Known for his undying patience, Bert could often be found at any of Lainey’s horse shows lovingly grazing Lainey’s equine partner for hours on end. Bert had a particularly strong bond with Lainey’s horse, Dublin, whom he spoiled at every opportunity and grazing spot possible.

Outside of, and definitely secondary to, his Horse Dad life, Bert thoroughly enjoyed golfing and UVA sports. He was a part of a close-knit group of friends who jokingly called themselves “The Regular Guys,” having formed at Hollymead Elementary School in the ‘70s and continuing on together for the next 50 years. As Charlottesville grew, so did the group, taking on newcomers to the area, along with spouses and children. From the Foxfield Races to the UVA tailgates, and from celebrating the birth of each other’s children to attending their children’s graduation ceremonies, being a member of “The Regular Guys” was always an integral part of Bert’s life.

Bert was preceded in death by his father, Al. He is survived by his daughter, Lainey, his mother, Hope, his sister, Heather, his former wife and Lainey’s mother, Laura, and his dedicated grazing partner, Dublin. He is also survived by his half-siblings, Jason, Sean, Michelle, and Kristen.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in Bert’s memory to Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship (brcth.org) or The Hoof-N-Woof 4-H Club, Inc., PO Box 114, Free Union Va 22904.

For more on services and to share your condolences, visit Hill and Wood Funeral Service.