R. Cleve Buttars

Richard Cleve Buttars died peacefully on April 13, 2025, at the Huntsman ICU in Salt Lake City after battling renal cell carcinoma. He was surrounded by his loving family and listening to the music he loved.

Cleve was born in Logan, Utah, on December 21, 1954, to Vince and Della Buttars. He was the fifth of seven children, with one older sister and three older brothers; another sister and brother would follow. Cleve graduated from Logan High School in 1973. After serving an LDS mission in the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and Teaching from Utah State University in 1978. At age twelve, Cleve began working at his family’s business, Buttars Tractor, starting in the parts department and later moving into sales and management. In 1990, he founded Agri-Service, which became one of the most successful AGCO farm equipment dealers and he became a leader and advocate in the field. Cleve was inducted into the Inaugural Farm Equipment Hall of Fame in 2024. He was deeply dedicated to his work and built lasting relationships with employees, business associates, and even competitors—many of whom became close friends.

Cleve met his wife, Debbie Shaw, while cruising Main Street during their high school years. They married in the Logan LDS Temple on August 25, 1976, and welcomed four children: Julie, Ryan, Carrie, and Tracie. After Deb’s passing, Cleve married Nan Nuttall on June 29, 2013. Nan’s four children, Amy, Lindsay, McKay, and Kylie, joined the family, and they would go on to share 23 grandchildren. Cleve and Nan spent four years living in Brooklyn, New York, while Cleve served as Bishop of the Brooklyn YSA Ward.Cleve was a big man with a bigger personality, and his love for life and sense of humor positively impacted his family and friends. He enjoyed travel, food, music, movies, theater, books, golf, sports, card games, and, most of all, spending time with the people he loved. Cleve loved life and was generous with money, time, and suggestions for how others could enjoy life as well.

Cleve is survived by his wife, Nannette Buttars; four children, Julie (Clint) Schnoor, Ryan Buttars, Carrie (Che) Palermo, and Tracie (Jonny) Lindsey; four step-children, Amy (Jared) Anderson, Lindsay (Matt) Cook, McKay Nuttall, and Kylie (Brendan) Dennis; and grandchildren, Jack, Ellie, Lucy, Audrey, Beck, Max, Evelyn, Jude, Poppy, Lena, Scarlett, Archer, Margot, William, Jameson, Nicolas, Spencer, Marcus, Tyler, Wade, Gwen, Billie, and Annie. He is also survived by three brothers, Monte (Suzanne) Buttars, Darrell (Marianne) Buttars, Bob (Leann) Buttars, and sister Bonnie (Rick) Monson.He was preceded in death by his wife, Debra Shaw Buttars, and his parents, Vince and Della Buttars, brother Rodney Buttars, and sister, Paulette Bryan.

Thank you for the care given by the St. Luke’s Cancer Institute Magic Valley, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and the Huntsman ICU.

Funeral services for Cleve will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 19th, at the Twin Falls LDS Stake Center; 2085 S. Temple Drive in Twin Falls, ID. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 18th, at White-Reynolds Funeral Chapel; 2466 Addison Ave. East in Twin Falls, as well as 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the LDS Stake Center. 

A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, April 21, at the Logan City Cemetery in Logan, Utah.

The funeral will also be broadcast via Zoom (Zoom Meeting ID 981 9674 5241 and Passcode 123456).