Kenneth “Butch” Floyd Tubbs, of Texarkana, Texas, died Thursday, February 2, 2023, at St. Michaels Hospital in Texarkana.
Mr. Tubbs was born on December 3, 1942 in Shreveport, Louisiana. When Mr. Tubbs was born, he was a large baby and was nick-named “Butch” by the attending nurse and was called that for the rest of his life.
Butch is a 1961 graduate of Fairpark High School in Shreveport. After high school, he joined the United States Navy Reserve and served honorably as a welder aboard USS Farragut (DLG 6) for two years.
After being discharged from the Navy, Butch enrolled at Louisiana Tech. While at Tech, he ran into a long-time acquaintance (and future wife) Ms. Ruth Morrow. After one date the two were engaged and later married on August 3, 1965.
Butch would work at J.C. Penny’s for a short while before taking a job with Delta Airlines, a career that lasted 18 years. Butch and Ruth would eventually move with Delta Airlines to Amarillo, Texas in 1982. After retiring from Delta, Butch and Ruth opened their first business, a ceramic shop named Tubby’s Mud Hut in Amarillo, Texas. The business was a success and saw a second store open before they decided to sell and move to Texarkana, Texas in 1989 to explore other opportunities.
Butch would go on to work for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a corrections officer where he would again earn a retirement. Following his second retirement, Butch opened T’s Quilts in Texarkana, Texas, and co-owned the business for three years.
Butch was an avid fisherman and once served as a fishing guide on Toledo Bend Reservoir. He also loved hunting, NASCAR, and LSU football.
Butch and Ruth were married for 57 wonderful years. They have three children, Kirk Tubbs of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Jason Tubbs of Walker, Louisiana, and Robin Tubbs Anderson of Dallas, Texas. They have six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Butch was a member of the Church of Christ and served as an Elder at Westside Church of Christ in Texarkana, Texas.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 PM Monday, February 6, 2023, at Chapelwood Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service on Monday.