Portrait of Long Butler Gifted to Richmond’s Executive Mansion
RICHMOND, VA – First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin welcomed senior government officials, members of the Governor’s Citizens’ Advisory Council for Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion (CAC), alongside the Townes family and their friends to the Executive Mansion today to unveil a commissioned portrait of long-serving butler, Martin “Tutti” Townes. In a moving tribute, the Governor praised the Mansion’s longtime Head Butler and a beloved figure in Virginia’s history of public service.
“From greeting world leaders to caring for First Families, Tutti has touched countless lives with humility and respect,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “His portrait will remind future generations that true service is measured in hard work, loyalty, and faithfulness.”
Mr. Townes, who treasures the love and support of his wife Stephanie and their five children — Martin, Michael, Cherry, LaTamara, and Sheyenne — witnessed the unveiling of the portrait painted by Richmond artist Stanley Rayfield and received a gubernatorial proclamation establishing September 17, 2025, as Martin “Tutti” Townes Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Commissioned by the CAC as a gift to the historic home, the painting celebrates and honors Tutti’s four decades of service to the Commonwealth, beginning in 1984 under Governor Charles Robb and continuing through eleven consecutive Virginia governors.
“Tutti Townes has been a leading ambassador for the Executive Mansion for forty years,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. “His professionalism, loyalty, and genuine kindness have helped guests feel welcome and are central to the inner workings of the home. Today, we honor not only his service but the legacy of hospitality he and his family have given to Virginia.”
Throughout his career, Tutti welcomed dignitaries from around the globe — from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Bishop Desmond Tutu to cultural icons like Charlton Heston, Garth Brooks, and Sinbad. Yet, as colleagues and First Families consistently attest, he treated every visitor — no matter the title — with the same warmth and dignity. Further, the Townes family’s legacy of service to the Executive Mansion extends across generations. Tutti’s late mother, Doris Townes Fleming, his brothers Theodore and Marvin, his wife Stephanie, and even two of his children, Martin and Cherry, have all served the People’s House with distinction. As such in 2022, the Commonwealth named one of the buildings across Governor’s Street from the Mansion after the Townes family.
The portrait unveiling marked yet another dimension to the First Lady’s commitment to utilizing art to tell Virginia’s delightful and diverse stories. The portrait will hang alongside more than 70 other works on loan from artists, museums, and historic societies across the Commonwealth that make up the current “Art Experience” at the Executive Mansion. This collection of works is entitled “America: Made in Virginia,” is intended to herald the upcoming 2026 celebration of American independence.