Creator of Precious Moments, Sam Butcher, passes away
CARTHAGE, Mo. – The founder of the world-renowned Precious Moments figurines and characters passed away Monday, May 20 surrounded by his loved ones, according to a statement by his company. Samuel J. Butcher is one of America’s most beloved artists.
According to the biography on his website, Butcher began drawing the famous tear-drop-eyed children and named them “Precious Moments” in the 1970s. Mr. Butcher was later hired as a story illustrator for the inspirational children’s program, Tree Top House, drawing these children in images to tell stories.
His artwork was introduced to the public in 1975 on inspirational greeting cards and posters, and in 1978 the first Precious Moments figurines were unveiled. Later in 1989, his life’s dream was fulfilled when he built the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, MO. The structure was unveiled in 1989 and according to their website, millions of people across the globe have come to admire his work and share his faith.
Butcher’s famous figurines are still being sold and collected more than 40 years later.
The company said on its Facebook page, “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.”
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