Precious Moments creator Sam Butcher dies at 85 surrounded by loved ones

Sam Butcher, the creator behind the iconic "Precious Moments" porcelain figurines, has died at the age of 85.

Butcher died Monday surrounded by loved ones,” the company said in a Facebook post. The cause of his death was not immediately clear.

“In his final words he shared that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were with him, and that it was beautiful,” the post reads.

Butcher began drawing for family and friends, commercializing his artwork in 1975, according to the Precious Moments website. Precious Moments porcelain figurines officially became available for purchase in 1978, three years after the artwork first appeared on greeting cards and inspirational posters.

Millions of people have come to know Butcher’s work since then, collecting his pieces and visiting the Precious Moments Chapel in Missouri.

“Although the sorrow is great, it is our prayer that the appreciation and celebration of his legacy be even greater – the legacy of his glory-filled life, the countless blessings he bestowed upon the millions of lives he touched, and the incredible fulfillment of his life’s mission: to share God’s gift of love with the world,” the company's post reads.

Talent comes from ‘humble beginnings’

Butcher spent most of his childhood putting his ideas on a page, drawing and sketching under his family’s dining room table in the northern California city of Redding. He was the third of five children, who were all born into a “very poor” family, according to his bio on the Precious Moments website.

Family members recognized Butcher’s artistic ability early, but were unable to purchase drawing materials for him to use. Despite his family’s financial limitations, Butcher found a way to draw anyway.

“Sam was a clever child however, and soon his favorite place was a factory dump near his home where he would search for rolls of paper to draw on,” according to the company.

Some of Butcher’s favorite moments growing up involved his grandmother, who told him Bible stories, the bio says.

“He always had a deep interest in spiritual things and even from his early childhood, he painted scenes from the Bible,” it says. He decided he was going to use his artistic ability to “only serve the Lord” after a life-changing night at church, enrolling at College of Arts & Crafts in Berkeley after high school graduation.

Butcher moved back to his native Michigan, marrying his high school sweetheart and taking a job in a shipping department of the Child Evangelism Fellowship. He was eventually moved to the art department.

He worked as a story illustrator on children’s television program for several years, using “teardrop-eyed images to tell stories.” Butcher remained a “quite family man” despite becoming one of America's most beloved artists.

“Nothing means more to him than his children and grandchildren as he takes advantage of every opportunity to make them an active part of his life and his work," the bio says.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Precious Moments creator Sam Butcher dies at 85