Maria Van Voorst Butler

Maria Elizabeth Van Voorst Butler, age 78, Woodlawn, passed away Sunday April 29, 2012 at Gateway Medical Center. No services are planned. Her remains are to be cremated.
She loved her father Albert and her mother Tinaka. Her father nicknamed her "Rabbit" because she ran fast like a rabbitt when she got in trouble, but they were best friends. She had four brothers, Yappie, Karl, Yenamen, Apie and three sisters, Yenne, Tinaka, and her beloved Minnie.
Born June 13, 1933 in Inkastaa, Holland, Maria Van Voorst Butler came to the US of A through marriage of her first love with her son Lewis (Billy) Ford. At the young age of 23 she opened her first small bar and continued on to bigger and better ventures of the nightclub business when she opened the famed Holland House in the 70's in North Clarksville.
She brought her Dutch fire and Tennessee country street smarts, so the business flourished.
Times changed, so she opened Maria's Ranch Restaurant and Lounge and The Flight Line, both with country venues.
Sensing time for a change and quieter times along with the births and raising of her two grandsons, she got out of the bar business and purchased Maria's Wagon Wheel, also on 41A North.
Through trials and tribulations, she persevered through the good times and bad for 18 years. She then went on to help her love and best friend of 10 years to open and establish his bar on 41A in North Clarksville. Sadly though, the moment she fell ill, he left her, which only added to her sickness.
She leaves behind her grandson, Dylan and Levi, daughter, Elizabeth, her great granddaughter and apple of her eye, Ariel, and Ariels mother, Amber Duncan, all of Clarksville, and her son Lewis Ford of Florida.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2000 Charlotte Avenue Nashville, TN 37203.