Obituary of Jeanette Eileen Butkus

Jeanette Eileen Butkus, 54, of Las Vegas died suddenly on May 31. She was born April 29, 1955 in Glendale, CA. After a career in marketing, Jeanette found her calling as a hat maker, creating Les Chapeaux Janette. Jeanette enjoyed hikes in the area National Parks, bicycling, swimming, yoga, meditation and animals, especially her 3 dogs and 2 cats. She is survived by her devoted husband of 30 years, William Michael Butkus; her mother, Grace Stump, of Oakland, CA; her sisters Barbara (Sally) Stump of Oakland, CA, Mary Ann (Bob) Zukowski of Gray, ME, and Paula Dickenson of Pasadena, CA; cousins Jo (Mike) Padore of Irvine, CA and Teresa (Harry) Thy of Santa Clarita, CA and many loving nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held at Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services, 3975 S. Durango Dr., #104, 89147 at 2 PM on Thursday, June 4. Donations in Jeanette's memory may be made to Best Friends Animal Society or an organization of your choice. Eulogy for Jeanette Eileen Butkus April 29,1955 - May 31, 2009 I want to talk about my wife, Jeanette. She celebrated my life and others for 54 years. We meet in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1974 at the koi pond in Waikalowa Park. She was nineteen and the picture of a classic California beach girl with beautiful golden long hair and a great tan. I was sitting in a meditation pose just enjoying the beauty of Hawaii, when she came up to me and wanted to know if she could talk to me. I said what about? And that's when my beautiful 35 years of life with Jeanette began. We began are journey together by hiking and biking throughout the Big Island of Hawaii, enjoying each other and falling in love under it's stars and sheltered by it's holy mountains Manu Loa & Manu Kea. Jeanette was a devotee of SRF Fellowship from Enciinitis, California, which was founded by Paramanhansa Yogananda her guru. She taught me meditation, yoga and a love for all God's creation and creatures. As our Hawaiian travels continued I knew she was with my soulmate for life and my seeking was over. Jeanette was politically active for the wellbeing of the animals of Hawaii. She helped stop the killing of them in the shelters by the decompression chamber. They passed a law give humanly injections instead of the chamber. She was always a vegetarian that respected life, by not eating meat. She ate fruits, vegetables and grains before any trend and taught me to about healthy living. Her personal pets were very important in her life. She loved and cared for them as members of our family. She always adopted pets from shelters and spayed and neutered them. This was and important issue for her and she fought to have clinics set-up for the communities we lived in. We continued are travels and made a move back to California & Oregon where Jeanette started her creative horizons by making her own clothes and crafts. She studied fashion design enjoying the rich creative side of her life. Jeanette attended UNLV for business and marketing in Las Vegas, Nevada to expand her knowledge for a business she wanted to start called "Les Chapeaux Jeanette". This was her calling as a Hat Maker which became a passion that continued for the rest of her life. I remember those days and nights working with her on her favorite designs on the kitchen table which she loved. The colors and textures of the materials and the caress of Jeanette's hand helping me, will be missed forever more. Her favorite designer was Coco Channel which became a inspiration for her stylish wardrobes and accessories. Always beautiful and radiant she lit up a room with her smiling face and gracious manners. If there was a party or a parade Jeanette was the first to jump in. Jeanette helped anyone that needed care and compassion and an ear to listen. She was always on the phone consoling friends and family. She attended many self-help organizations in town always trying to understand what life was about and sharing her inner most feelings of hope and healing for everyone. Life was not easy for my beloved wife. She had various health conditions which caused pain to her body. She always exercised which gave her a radiant look that helped with the suffering. Jeanette helped others late at night when friends with pain could not sleep by calling them and talking to ease there condition. This was especially helpful for my brother Matthew in New Jersey. I feel thankful and blessed that God gave me the pleasure to feel the caresses of your warm hands and your embrace. I will see your smiling face in all things for eternity. I say my last aloha to you my beloved wife, till we meet again in paradise together with all are dogs and cats that were part of our life on this wonderful planet called earth. Remember that Magic is there to lead the way to the rainbow bridge for you, my lovely wife Jeanette. Aum, Shanti, Peace Aum, Shanti, Peace Aum, Shanti, Peace