Rest in Power, MSEA-SEIU past president Linwood Butterfield

Linwood Butterfield served as president of our union in 1970 and 1971; this photo was taken in 1971.

Our sympathies to MSEA-SEIU Retiree Director Steve Butterfield and his family on the passing of his father, MSEA-SEIU past president Linwood Butterfield at age 98 on March 25, 2023.

A Navy veteran of World War II who served in both the Atlantic and Pacific war theaters, Linwood Butterfield worked for 34 years for the Maine Bureau of Public Improvement, currently known as the Maine Bureau of General Services.

As a member of our union since 1957, Linwood served on many MSEA committees, was elected as a chapter president numerous times, served for 22 years on our Board of Directors, served as our statewide union vice president for two terms, in 1968 and 1969, and also served as our statewide union president for two terms, in 1970 and 1971.

“He revitalized the Capitol Chapter of MSEA after eight years of inactivity,” Steve Butterfield recalled of his late father. Those familiar with our union family know that Steve Butterfield began working for our union in 1975, serving as a jack-of-all-trades at the union hall before becoming our director of information services and retiring in 2017 after 42-plus years on our union’s staff. “(Linwood) always believed in MSEA’s mission and pushed the concept of ‘the greatest good for the greatest number.’”

After Linwood’s retirement in 1991, he became a member of our Area II Retirees Chapter.

According to his obituary, at his request, there will be no visiting hours or funeral service. The family will have a private graveside service later in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Meals on Wheels, Cohen Community Center, Spectrum Generations, 22 Town Farm Road, Hallowell, ME 04347.

Rest in Power, Brother Linwood Butterfield!