coe-staff: New "Our Space" display - Return to Vietnam by David J. Butler

[Krista Chronister]

Dear College of Education Community,

It is my pleasure to share the next Our Space art installation with you. My sincere gratitude to College faculty member, Jo Larson, who is sharing this art with us.  This Our Space installation features photographs and art from David J. Butler (1946-2016) and is installed in honor of David as well as those who live with mental illness and who have served in the United States military.

The display is located on the first floor of the HEDCO building, outside the classrooms. Please come read more about David and view his photographs.

Return to Vietnam
featuring David J. Butler
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Return to Vietnam
featuring David J. Butler
June 8, 1946-July 4, 2016

The College of Education is proud to display these photographs and prints as part of the Our Space art initiative.  The photographs were taken by David J. Butler and the prints belong to David.  We thank our own faculty member, Johanna (Jo) Larson, for allowing us to feature her husband's art, life, and loves.  This Our Space feature is dedicated to those who live with mental illness and who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

David Butler was a businessman, writer, and broadcast jazz aficionado. His wife, Jo, described him as a "tree hugger/animal lover extraordinaire."  He served as a public relations person for Lane Community College and Lane Education Service.  In 1998, he founded CDI Vaults, providing jobs for nearly 300 people locally.  Sent to Vietnam as a journalist/photographer, David found himself assigned as a crew member on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, surviving a helicopter crash. He was the first to patrol to discover the mass graves of hundreds of Hue civilians, killed by North Vietnamese Army during the Tet offensive, a sight that had a lasting effect on him.

David wrote and spoke candidly about having bi-polar disorder and suffering PTSD from his service during the Vietnam War.  He spoke about his experiences of mental illness and the war to encourage our community to deal with mental illness together and openly.  In an op-ed piece for The Register Guard, David wrote, "I hope you empower yourself enough with the language of the sick to bring peace to a family, to help someone heal or live in the community with grace, or ultimately, to save a life."

David took these photographs during his return to Vietnam in 1998.  His photos document the beauty of Vietnam and its people, and highlight the gratitude and joy that David sought, and found, upon his return to Vietnam.

David is pictured with his wife, and College faculty, Johanna Larson. He wrote, "I met and married the love of my life, Johanna Larson, in December of 2003. Nothing really existed before then; everything has existed since then. We have her two boys, Andrew and Keenan, as OUR boys, who provide us endless joy."

_________________________________________
Krista M. Chronister, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology &
Assistant Dean for Equity and Inclusion
College of Education
5251 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5251
https://education.uoregon.edu/users/chronister
www.access-dv.org<http://www.access-dv.org/>
(off) 541.346.2415
(fax) 541.346.6778


[cid:image001.gif at 01CE1104.B9070730][cid:D6D06192-19A7-41CE-ABDC-5707DE50B987 at uoregon.edu]


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