Paul M. Butman *47

Paul Butman, a retired Air Force colonel, died peacefully Feb. 17, 2016, at age 98.

Butman graduated from MIT in 1940 with a degree in aeronautical engineering. A distinguished career followed in the Air Force. He was a test pilot and flying instructor of early fighter and bomber aircraft used in World War II. After the war, he was sent to Princeton, where he earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1947.

Subsequently, Butman was chief of the instrumentation section of the flight test division at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. In the 1950s, he was assigned to the Atomic Energy Commission. As the Air Force representative, his work centered on choosing the best method of delivering a hydrogen bomb to its target.

In 1966, Butman was diagnosed with cancer and retired. After surgeries and rigorous radiation treatments, he enjoyed the rest of his life cancer-free. In retirement, he took up genealogy and traced his roots back 10 generations. He unearthed stories of pilgrims, pirates, and witches, which he was always eager to share with his family.

Butman was predeceased in 2015 by his wife of 74 years, Elinor. He is survived by four children; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.