Working women in every profession owe a debt of gratitude to Pat Butler. Why? Because Pat is among the first group of women in our country’s history to pursue a professional career. Hers is a story of determination and inspiration that spans two centuries and the new millennium.

Pat’s story actually begins in Newfoundland where both her parents were born. As a young newspaper reporter, Pat’s father met Marconi while he was experimenting with the first wireless transmission between England and Newfoundland. He wrote about Marconi’s successful innovation despite the fact that the scientific community of the day seemed less than impressed. It would take decades before the importance of wireless communications would be acknowledged.

Blazing new trails

Seeking greater opportunities, Pat’s father and mother decided to leave Newfoundland for New York. It was there that Pat was born in 1907. Later the family moved south, to Atlanta, where she grew up and graduated from Sacred Heart High School. Encouraged by her father to go to college – especially because he himself had not been able to go – Pat chose Agnes Scott College, a women’s liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia.

Pat stood out as one of only two Catholic students at the predominantly Presbyterian school. But being in the minority didn’t seem to bother Pat. In fact, after completing her undergraduate degree, Pat made another decision that would place her in a minority position. Bolstered once again by her father’s confidence in her, Pat applied and was accepted at the Lamar School of Law – which later became Emory University’s School of Law. Prior to Pat’s arrival on campus, only three females had attended before her.

Naturally, Pat expected the worst, i.e., that her male classmates would disparage and discourage her."But," said Pat, "that was simply not the case. The boys were great!" No doubt they knew they were dealing with a peer, not a female looking for a husband. A serious student during her three years there, Pat felt she had found her niche and "the freedom to think." She also felt that Agnes Scott had prepared her well and she found law school far easier than she had expected.

Outside school, however, life was not so easy. It was the worst of times,1931, the depth of the Great Depression . Pat’s father struggled to get her through school. Jobs were tough to find. For her first job, Pat volunteered for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society in the Fulton County Courthouse. There she met the second man in her life – besides her father – who was a champion of women getting ahead. That man was Smythe Gambrell. He was the general counsel for Eastern Airlines and Greyhound Bus Lines, and a very influential individual. Pat considers Mr. Gambrell a mentor and credits him with directing her career path. Things were about to change.

In 1935, during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first administration, Pat went for her an all-important interview - at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. "They weren’t expecting a female, " she said, "when I turned up." Despite her gender, Pat got the job. The job was organizing the law library from scratch for the Department’s Anti-Trust Division. While involved in that project, Pat met the man who would become her first husband, Sal Andretta. Sal became Assistant Attorney General of the United States. A number of years later, in 1948, Pat and Sal were married.

Pat spent her entire law career in the Department of Justice. She happened along, she said, at a time that administrative law became an important concern. "Administrative agencies were springing up everywhere and their role was to serve as a kind of intermediary between the judicial and the executive branches of government." Pat dedicated herself to her work at the DOJ, where she would stay until her retirement in 1974.

Over the years, Pat had also developed a love for historic preservation and while at the DOJ, she was asked to represent the Attorney General on the board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. During her tenure on the board, she actually represented four or five different attorney generals. Later, she was asked to serve on her own which she did for over nine years.

Pat’s personal life was always full, even without children of her own. She was married three times, and had a number of step-children. Pat lost both her first husband and her second husband. When she met and married her third husband, Frank Butler, they divided their time between Washington and California. Even though Mr. Butler is deceased now, Pat remains a California resident. Her love of DC, however, has never waivered and she still maintains a condo in Georgetown.

Having lived through the women’s movement, Pat has a comprehensive view of the progress that working women have made throughout the 20^th century. "The progress has been tremendous," she said, "and it all started during the second World War when women stepped in to fill the jobs that men left vacant when they went off to fight. It hasn’t stopped since. As for the future," she said, " I don’t believe that the sexes will ever be equal. It just won’t happen. There are too many obstacles for women to overcome, including the fact that they are still the primary parent in child rearing."

Still reflecting, Pat added, "I’m glad that young women today can pursue careers in virtually any field they choose, and that’s a good thing. But, you know, I’ve come to the realization that there’s more to life. My best advice to the next generation of women is this: when you start out, you’ll be very eager to achieve your goals. That’s fine, but take it from someone who’s lived a full life—try not to end up alone. Consider marrying earlier and having a family. Have a life other than work!"

It’s not every day that you get advice from someone who has lived ninety five years and is still a dynamo. Pat may not have any immediate family left, but she certainly has lots of people who care about her and appreciate the impact she’s made in many areas. One of her latest contributions is a gift of over $1 million to Agnes Scott College to benefit some of tomorrow’s female leaders. Thanks, Pat, for your wisdom, your courage, and for creating such a wonderful legacy. You’re a SHEro to many who may never get the privilege of knowing you.

October, 2001
By Susan Hitchcock, Creator of The Age of SHEroes
VP Client Services, Turknett Leadership Group