Mayor Robert L. Butler was born and raised in Marion Illinois. He has served as mayor for the City of Marion since 1963.

Butler comes from a long line of public servants. His father, Homer Butler, served in the State House of Representatives as well as the State Senate. His grandfather also served as Mayor of Marion.

He graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law and served as Assistant State Attorney for Williamson County for 10 years. Butler served with the 971 Counter-Intelligence Detachment in Korea. He married Louetta Sanders in 1951. He has one daughter, Dr. Beth Butler, PHD.

In the past few years, Marion has welcomed dozens of new restaurants, a new hospital with a wide range of medical services and a professional baseball team, the Southern Illinois Miners. In fact, the Miners played host last year to the Frontier Leagues All-Star festivities and the team continues to be among the League’s elite in terms of attendance.  In addition to continual improvements to our city parks, sewer system, police and fire departments and transportation needs, Marion has recently modernized the Marion Carnegie Library and opened the $12 million Marion Cultural and Civic Center.

Through the years, Butler has made the growth of Marion his top priority. He is and has been the moving force in making Marion, “the hub of the universe,” as the Mayor likes to say.