Timothy Butterworth

Timothy “Tim” Butterworth, teacher, carpenter, writer and NH State Representative, died on January 25, 2026, during a blizzard he would have loved. He had Parkinson’s disease and CHF, but died of injuries from a fall. He was 81 years old.  

Tim, the second of four siblings, was born on May 18, 1944, in Hartford, CT, to Oliver and Miriam Butterworth. Tim’s childhood was spent in West Hartford, CT, and Center Sandwich, NH, where he was known for his strength in the stern of a canoe and where he developed an abiding love of New Hampshire’s mountains, lakes and forests. 

In 1966, he graduated from Dartmouth College. After marrying Sue Ann Hallock, he received his MA in American Literature from the University of North Carolina in 1967. He became a teacher at Vermont Academy and Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School, where he was a negotiator for the teachers union and fought for fair pay and health coverage. He and Sue purchased a farm in Chesterfield, NH. 

His marriage ended in 1976, but the farm known as Sugarbush Hill became Tim’s lifelong passion. With the help of his second wife, Kay Kloppenburg (m. 1984), the farm grew to be the epicenter of a community of students and travelers who began as housemates and, as a result of Tim’s warmth, care and inclusion, became family. 

Tim studied for an MAT in ESL at SIT in Brattleboro, VT, and taught in La Paz, Bolivia; Granada, Spain and San Jose, Costa Rica. He and Kay also spent a year in the DC area, where Tim worked for the Institute for Policy Studies. He was an ardent Democrat, frequently campaigning door-to-door across New England. He served as a Chesterfield Selectman (1996-2002), working for environmental conservation and marriage equality, and as a Democratic member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives (2006-2010). 

Tim is survived by his wife Kay and their son Lateef Jackson (Melissa); children Brook (Benjamin Newland) and Ben (Diane Arabian); siblings Mike, Dan and Kate; five grandchildren; six nieces and nephews; and the people who stayed at his farm and became part of his chosen family.

Tim’s family would appreciate your support for:
 
The Women’s Advancement Initiative at University of Hartford
Visit www.hartford.edu/womensadvancement and select “Make a Gift.” Type “Butterworth Family Fund” in the “Comments” section.

Southern New Hampshire Indivisible
Find a protest. Speak out. Donate. https://www.southernnhindivisible.org