Lawrence John Mullaney Jr., who was known as Butch, died peacefully at home in Provincetown on Dec. 13, 2024. No cause was reported. He was 77.
The son of the late Lawrence J. and Elizabeth (Perry) Mullaney, Butch was born on April 14, 1947 in Manhattan. His family moved to Queens and then to Ridgefield Park, N.J. His father was a mail carrier who commuted daily to Manhattan.
One of Butch’s earliest memories was going to the local bar with his paternal grandfather, who sat him on the bar to watch sports together. This began his lifelong love of sports and socializing with friends.
Butch spent summers at his maternal grandmother’s house in Provincetown, where he made lifelong friends playing Little League baseball. He tried out unsuccessfully for the majors but pursued his passion locally, most notably in the summer softball league in Provincetown.
An inveterate Yankees fan, he loved all sports and wrote a column about Provincetown High School sports for the Advocate after he settled permanently in town in the early 1970s.
His family remembers Butch living a carefree life and never worrying about material possessions. He was a loyal friend who listened without judgment. Butch kept in constant touch with those he loved, especially his godchild, Lisa (Enos) Bennett, and her daughter, Taylor.
He was a natural skeptic who enjoyed the art of debate, and no topic was off-limits. “Just know that I lived life my way and had a blast doing it!” he once said. “Have a laugh and remember me that way. When I die, I hope there’s a party,” he added.
Butch is survived by his sister, Gerri, and her two children in New York; by his friends Sandy (Valentine) Roda and Steve Roda of Harwich, Bob Enos of Provincetown, Bobby Enos, and their children, Lisa of Florida, Beth of Melrose, and Bobby of Provincetown, Bob and Deb Sellers of Provincetown, and Donna Joseph of Provincetown; and by his beloved pet Gecko, friendly bartenders Lenny and Billie, and many other friends and acquaintances near and far.
A celebration of life and a potluck is planned for 3 p.m. on May 3, 2025 at the Old Colony Tap in Provincetown. All are welcome.
