‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Mourns His Mother as Fans Rally Around Him

A beloved actor from the iconic television series Little House on the Prairie, Dean Butler, is receiving a flood of fan support after sharing news of his mother’s death. The actor took to Instagram on August 18 to share photos and a touching tribute honoring his mother, Marianna Moore Butler.

The initial photo was a formal one taken of the Butler family less than a year ago. He noted that in addition to himself and his mother, the picture included his brother Scott and his sister Meg. The photo was taken in celebration of Marianna’s 90th birthday, which was on December 14, 2025.

“This past Saturday, she passed away at the age of 91,” the Little House on the Prairie star revealed.

Butler wrote, “As is the case with so many of us, our mothers are the foundation of our character and values, and they shape the way we move through the larger world. It is impossible for me to overstate her impact on me, my siblings, and our entire family.”

The actor also noted that the qualities that caught the attention decades ago of Michael Landon and producer Susan Sukman McCray, when casting him on Little House on the Prairie, “came, in their deepest sense, from her.”

The actor’s bond to and admiration for his mother is clear in the touching caption he wrote. He noted she was his spirit, his conscience, his friend, and “She is the best of me.” He noted he “could not love her more” and added she will always be with him.

Little House on the Prairie fans quickly showered Butler with comments of support, with many of them noting that Marianna sounded like she was an incredible mother.

As Little House on the Prairie fans remember, Butler played Almanzo Wilder on the series, the man who married Melissa Gilbert‘s Laura Ingalls. Many fans also remember Butler for also later playing Hank Summers, the father of Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.