Before she was a founder, a business leader or a trailblazer at a young university, Jean Butler was, above all else, devoted to her family.
That instinct to show up for others, quietly and fully, would define her life.
The University of Central Florida community is remembering Marian Jean Clarkson Butler, who passed away peacefully with family by her side on April 24, 2026. She leaves behind a legacy shaped not only by what she built, but by whom she lifted along the way.
In 1970, when UCF was still Florida Technological University, Butler took on the challenge of creating something entirely new. Drawing on her experience at Walter Reed General Hospital, she was recruited to develop and lead the university’s Medical Records Administration program.
There was no roadmap. So, she created one.
As founding director and, for a time, the program’s only faculty member, Butler designed courses, built partnerships with local hospitals and guided students through a field that was still taking shape. Every student in the program passed the national accreditation exam during her tenure, a reflection of both her standards and her belief in their potential.
She was doing this work at a time when very few people with her background held leadership roles in higher education. Her presence alone expanded what felt possible. Her work ensured others could follow.
Her impact extended beyond academics. Butler helped charter the Mu Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, establishing the first Black Greek organization at the university and creating space for connection, leadership and belonging.
Then, at a pivotal moment in her career, she stepped away.
In 1978, Butler resigned from UCF to care for her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a decision rooted not in ambition, but in love.
That same sense of purpose guided her into the next chapters in her life.
Butler went on to build a remarkable career as an entrepreneur, founding JCB Construction and growing it into a successful minority-owned firm responsible for major projects across Central Florida. She became a respected business leader, earning recognition for her achievements and her service, but those who knew her best understood that her greatest impact was always personal.
She built things that lasted. And she invested in people who would carry that work forward.
Her son, Brian Butler H’22, Immediate Past Chair of the UCF Foundation Board of Directors, is one of them.
In honor of his mother, Brian is updating his family’s endowed scholarship to the Dr. Michael and Mrs. Jean Butler Endowed Scholarship, ensuring that her commitment to education and opportunity continues to shape future generations of students.
It is a fitting tribute.
Through efforts like the university’s Go For Launch campaign, UCF is investing in people who will expand opportunity and move communities forward. Jean Butler was doing that work decades ago, often without recognition, always with intention.
She helped build a program. She helped build a community. She helped build a path for others to walk.
