DAVID E. “BUTCH” HENRY, 85, of Zephyrhills, FL, passed away in the comfort of his home on August 22, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence Eugene Henry and Betty Lee (McGuire) Henry. He is survived by his long time companion, Sara Hill; three children and their spouses, Jeffery D. Henry (Teresa) of Byhalia, MS, Erik D. Henry (Angela) of Tampa, FL, and Ronda Ann Bryan (Marc) of Taylor, MS; five grandchildren and two great grandsons also survive: Josh ( Desirae), Kendall, Ethan Henry, and Ally and Julia Bryan. Great grandchildren Bo and Briggs Henry. He once stated that his greatest accomplishment was raising his three children and playing with his five grandchildren. Butch graduated from high school in Sharyland, TX, in 1958, but he always said his heart was with his classmates and friends he grew up with in Wellsburg, WV. Following his high school graduation, he joined the United States Army and served with distinction. He served with the 82nd Airborne Division, 16th Airborne Corps, 3rd Army, US Special Warfare Center, US Army Strike Command, 2nd Armored Division, 2nd Infantry Division, and 2nd Military Intelligence. He was awarded citations by two different Presidents of South Korea during his career , and he eventually retired in 1980 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 after 23 years service. Following his military service, he joined the Dept. of Defense as a special investigator, eventually retiring in 2002. While he was involved with these two careers over the years, he managed to complete a Bachelor of Arts in General Law in 1972 and a Master of Arts in Criminal Law in 1977, both at the University of Mississippi. He earned a second Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management in 1986 from St. Leo University. His activities were many and varied and almost always oriented to the great outdoors. Among these activities were canoeing, kayaking, sports, hiking, traveling, fishing, and long-distance motorcycle riding. He once helped make a dugout canoe from a 6,000-pound cottonwood tree and assisted with the 700 mile trip down the Mississippi from Minneapolis to St. Louis. He also held a private pilot’s license, although he really preferred ground-based modes of transportation. In later years, he spent about three months each year on the U.S.–Mexico border as a Texas Border Volunteer, working to deter illegal crossings and drug smuggling. Butch was one of those rare individuals who “never knew a stranger”. His friendly outgoing demeanor won him many friends who knew they could count on him to tell the truth and help in any situation. The family would like to give a special thanks to his 24/7 care giver who only took off four partial days in the last year. Thank you, Lorene Durance. Funeral services were held September 5, 2025, at the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to donate.fallenpatriots.org/give/199325/#!/donation/checkout or stjude.org/donate.