Arbutus and Bill O. founded and operated Midwest Tape Library for 50 years, with the purpose of collecting and preserving an audio history of Twelfth Step Work with Alcoholics.
Arbutus devoted more than five decades of her life to working with families affected by alcoholism. She was widely known as a speaker, researcher, writer and organizer; and traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Italy and Australia for this work. Programs that she instituted for State Hospitals and on Indian Reservations are still in use.
She was undoubtedly a pioneer of the Al-Anon Family Groups and close with Lois Wilson. Arbutus began attending NAA (non Alcoholics Anonymous meetings) either 1946 or 1947 in West Texas. When Al-Anon officially started in 1951 Arbutus was the first delegate from the state of Texas and assisted in the development of the Al-Anon service structure and archives.
She dedicated her life to the service of helping family overcome alcoholism.
