In the town of Hoffman on Nov. 9, the music teacher known by many as Mrs. Butler, enjoyed her 100th birthday. Mildred Elizabeth Butler was born in 1910 in Raeford. A few years later, she moved with her family to a little town called Rich Square before finally settling and spending her younger years in Hamlet.

During her early years she had hoped to be called Elizabeth, but because Mildred was a more modern name at the time, her parents decided on Mildred. After graduating from Hamlet High School in 1928, at that time Mildred Thompson, she attended college at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore.

Upon graduation, she came back to Hamlet and began teaching music privately to people in Hamlet and then expanded out to the Hoffman area. It was following this endeavor that she soon met her future husband, Claude Hughes Butler of Hoffman, who owned a general store.

Mildred and Claude were married in 1937 and she quickly became the pianist and organist for the Hoffman Baptist Church where she has filled those roles for over 70 years.

In 1938, she got a teaching job at Hoffman School where, for 32 years, Mildred taught many children. Several who graduated and went on to successful careers still remember Mrs. Butler and the advice she gave many of them about life even though her vocation was focused on teaching music.

Once she left the school behind and began a long retirement, she didn’t stop teaching young people, filling their hearts and minds with the soothing sounds of music. She continued to teach piano lessons privately from her home in Hoffman.

During the course of her career she taught hundreds of children and young adults music and bred in them an appreciation for the importance of music and a love of life.

She enjoyed her 100th birthday among family and friends at the Hoffman Baptist Church after service where she spent the occasion reminiscing and spending time with loved ones who had come from all around for the special occasion.

She was also presented with a proclamation adopted by the Hoffman Town Board that officially designated Nov. 9, 2010, as Mildred Elizabeth Butler Day in the town.