Sam Butcher, American artist and Precious Moments founder, Dies Aged 85

The founder of Precious Moments, Sam Butcher, died at age 85. According to the Precious Moments website, in the 1970s, Butcher drew the famous teardrop-eyed children to convey a spiritual message.

“Precious Moments artwork was introduced to the public in 1975 on inspirational greeting cards and posters, and in 1978 the first Precious Moments figurines were unveiled,” the website says.

According to a release, he was surrounded by his loved ones. He, of course, created the Precious Moments characters in the 70’s and, in 1989, brought the Precious Moments Chapel to life as a way to honor his faith.

Michigan, on Jan. 1, 1939. The family moved to Redding, California when Butcher was young.

“Most of Sam’s childhood days were spent drawing and sketching under the dining room table,” the website said. “At a very early age his talent was recognized by both family members and friends, but because his family was so poor, drawing materials were hard to come by. Sam was a clever child, however, and soon his favorite place was a factory dump near his home where he would search for rolls of paper to draw on.”