Neal “Butter” Lucas Ireland
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Neal “Butter” Lucas Ireland
May 22, 1984 – November 26, 2025
Neal Lucas Ireland, lovingly known as “Butter” and online as “UnknownButter,” passed away on November 26, 2025, at the age of 41 after a difficult battle with depression.
Born on May 22, 1984, Neal was the fifth child of Ron and Peggy Ireland. He grew up surrounded by the joyful chaos of a big, loving family. His happiest memories came from long days at the lake, a family trip to a dude ranch, and countless game nights where laughter filled the room.
In 2009, Neal reunited with an old friend, Katie Smeltzer, and quickly realized he had found the love of his life. They married on April 30, 2011, and spent nearly 15 years building a life filled with devotion, resilience, and deep love. Together, they faced challenges, including raising a daughter with significant special needs, always meeting each day as a team. Neal was a loyal and generous husband, and the most fun-loving, involved, caring father to their three children.
Neal was gifted in the world of IT, able to break down and rebuild computers with ease his unique talent and work ethic shining through in everything he did.
He is survived by his wife, Katie; his children, Charlotte (“Lottie”), Tinsley, and Max Ireland; his parents, Ron and Peggy Ireland; and his siblings: Natalie (Tim) Kirchhoff, Nathan (Beth) Ireland, Nick (Kelly) Ireland, and Noelle (Sean) Bielak. He also leaves behind his nephews, Shaymus and Killian Ireland and Emery and Calvin Kirchhoff; his nieces, Callie and Harper Ireland and Ashlyn Bielak; his great-nephew, Finn Ireland; his in-laws, Harve and Debi Smeltzer and Megan Smeltzer; and his loyal dog, Sully.
Neal loved his family with his whole heart. People often remarked on what an incredible father he was, and his children would agree wholeheartedly. They will forever miss their silly, Marvel-loving, video-game-playing daddy.
Katie, Lottie, Max, and Tinsley will continue to honor Neal by living fully and carrying forward the love, humor, and devotion he poured into them every day.
I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I had the privilege of working with Neal for several years, and my respect for him—as a colleague, a father, and a genuinely good man—only grew with time. My heart breaks for you and for the many others who loved him for his unique humor, compassion, talent, and many other wonderful qualities. What you are going through isn’t fair, and there are no words that can ease this pain. Please know that many of us from the Apple Bus days are holding you close in our thoughts and are here, ready to support you in any way we can. My sincerest condolences during this unimaginable loss.
I had the pleasure of working with Neal for a shorter time than I would have liked. He’d often stop at my desk on his way out to let me talk and vent about my struggles after everyone else left. Though he wasn’t a direct part of my team, nor did he have any obligation or reason to really do so. And in the end, he was one of the few who saw and understood the struggle. We’d often argue about Civ 5 and Warhammer: Total War, the conversations leaving me to think that if someone were actually on the outside listening in, they might believe that this must be what a conversation between two aliens might sound like. Always made me laugh. I wish I would have had more time with Neal. And my sincerest condolences to his family and little ones. Know that he gushed plenty about them to me. He will be missed.