By Maggie DiGiovanni
Elmore/Autauga News
ECLECTIC, ALABAMA – In October of this year, Betty Butler Coker, the well-known librarian of Eclectic, gasped in surprise when Stewart A. Vance handed her a check for $333.33 on behalf of WAKA Channel 8 and The Vance Law Firm. It was part of their Pay It Forward Program. Coker was recommended for the award by her friend, Anita Holley, who believes if Betty is handed a job to do, not only will she do it, but she will do it right.
What led up to this award? Who is the real woman behind the face who most know as our kind librarian?
When Betty Butler graduated from Auburn University in 1967, she already had a husband, Wayne Butler, and three children. The fact that she felt getting an education was worth continuing even with a family later inspired her son, Shane Butler, to keep on with school at Troy State. Fortunately for all of us, he went on to become a popular television meteorologist on CBS, FOX, and ABC.
Betty ended up with a BS degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Auburn, and an MS from Troy State in Education. She worked at Robert E. Lee at the time she saw Title IX pass allowing girls to play sports. She coached girls’ volleyball and boys’ and girls’ tennis, as well as gymnastics during her 30 years there.
Edgewood Academy, a private school, brought her onboard as a combination librarian, physical education, and health teacher. There she began an accelerated reading course and, to support the library, she cut thousands of box tops in return for a check, just one way to promote her love of reading. During her time there, she became a certified CPR instructor and eventually certified all staff in saving lives through CPR. Betty always had a joyous side, demonstrated at Edgewood when she sang in the classroom for students having birthdays. When she retired, the whole student body lined the hallways to sing a fond farewell to her.
When Betty retired, it was to care for her second husband, Mike Coker, who suffered from COPD brought on by Agent Orange, that devastated so many soldiers in Viet Nam. During this time, her interest turned to the dream of having a library in her hometown of Eclectic. Although she seems to be a quiet person, she has a massive amount of determination when setting a goal. She was given the old combination town hall and jail to turn into a miracle.
“That is when I learned how to write grants,” she told the EAN.
She was rewarded when The Daniel Foundation sent a check for $7500. With that money and the help of James Singleton and James Burroughs, walls came down, and space for shelves appeared. Barnes and Noble donated books, shelving, the circulation desk and other badly needed items. Some items were not usable in the library, but Betty never wasted anything. Instead, those items were put in storage for 10 years until the next item on her wish list became a reality – The Eclectic Museum.
Betty passionately believes that a dream that comes true should be used to its fullest. Based on that belief, Eclectic has enjoyed several innovative programs, such as Saturday Storytime for Kids. It is a summer program for all ages that extends the library into the warehouse across the street. There is also movie time for teens, and ukelele classes which morphed into The String Alongs, a musical group that plays in various town events.
Her life of giving of herself, pushing to make wherever she lives or works better for having her there, are what made her more than worthy of receiving the Pay It Forward award.
Recently Betty left for Tennessee to watch her grandson, Dallas Wilson, along with two other fellow artists, Lainey Wilson and Trannie Anderson, as they were nominated for Best Country Single, “Heart Like a Truck.” That was the first song the trio wrote together. Although it took off like a jet, winning was not to be. If her grandson is anything like his grandmother, he will see this as a challenge. Expect to see him back in the running next year.
