Kara Michelle Butterfield

With heavy hearts, the family of Kara Michelle Butterfield shares the very sad news that her vibrant life came to a sudden end on May 12, 2025, in Sandy, Utah. Kara was born to Henry H. Hegener and the late Karen L. (Spafford) (Hegener) (Dugue) Burke on November 17, 1968, in Poughkeepsie, New York, the youngest of four children born to her parents. After her parents divorced and each remarried, she was the youngest of seven children in her father’s blended family, known as “The Magnificent Seven.” Kara grew up in New York’s picturesque Hudson Valley. She graduated from Roy C. Ketcham High School in 1986, attended Dutchess Community College, and then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, from which she graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, management, and operations. Shortly after graduating from college, Kara reconnected with her Ketcham classmate, Scott DeSena, and the two set off on a westward adventure together, settling in the Salt Lake City area. They married in 1995. Daughter Kayli Michelle DeSena, now age 25, and son Robert James DeSena, now age 23, formed their family – Kara’s absolute pride and joy. Her marriage to Scott ended in 2008, and Kara later married Michael Butterfield, becoming a stepmom to Michael’s son, Braxton. Their marriage ended in 2018. Kara’s love of creatures, small and large, and the outdoors began at a young age, earning her the family nickname “Ribbit” due to her affection for frogs as a preschooler. Early on, she enjoyed camping, catching fireflies, and figuring out what made things – including people – “tick.” Ultimately, these loves came together when she joined the staff of the Utah chapter of The Nature Conservancy as a Protection and Stewardship Specialist, helping to preserve the state’s most cherished assets – its amazing landscapes, habitats, and natural resources. Kara proudly served in this role for nearly 28 years and was a highly respected colleague, valued for her ability to form trusting relationships with landowners and promote the organization’s mission across the varied topographies of the vast state. Kara also pursued professional certifications and endeavors to support the most vulnerable among us, including those experiencing mental health crises and victims of abuse. Kara’s pastimes evolved throughout her life, from rock climbing, hiking, and skiing to paddleboarding and gardening. She instilled a love of animals in her children, and they welcomed many pets into their home, including dogs, cats, reptiles, birds, and even a poison dart frog, reminiscent of her “Ribbit” nickname. Camping was a lifelong favorite recreation, beginning with trips to the Adirondack and Catskill mountains as a child, and then through the many mountains and deserts of Utah as a partner, parent, and stepparent. Kara was an avid music fan who traveled near and far to see her favorite bands perform live. She also enjoyed sports, whether cheering Kayli in soccer or Bob’s lacrosse team from the sidelines, or watching the NFL and March Madness on TV. She was a devoted fan of the New York Giants, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and Kayli’s alma mater’s team, the Montana State University Bobcats, win or lose. Kara always championed the underdog. Kara leaves behind a large family and many friends and colleagues devastated by the loss of Kara’s luminescent light in their lives, especially her children, Kayli and Bob DeSena, her stepson, Braxton Butterfield, her former husbands, Scott DeSena and Michael Butterfield, her parents, Henry and Corinne Hegener, her older sisters, Kim McCleary and Kristyn Kamps, and her stepsiblings, Carolyn Marsh, Laura Mecagni, Michael O’Connor, and David O’Connor. She has been reunited with those who predeceased her, most joyfully her beloved mother, Karen Burke, her guardian angel older brother, Henry “Chip” Hegener, Jr., and her treasured grandmother, Bernice “Nana” Spafford. A celebration of Kara’s life will be held on August 16, 2025, at the Great Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve, a property preserved by The Nature Conservancy. In keeping with her philanthropic priorities, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Kara’s memory to The Nature Conservancy. While her body is at rest, her soul and spirit live on through and inspire all who were fortunate enough to know and love Kara. Please share memories, photos, and condolences on this Tribute page. “There is nothing left to do now but smile, smile, smile.” The Grateful Dead

Kara Michelle Butterfield

November 17, 1968 - May 12, 2025