John R. "Jack" Buterbaugh's Obituary
His family said goodbye on October 29th 2017 to a man known as Jack, but also especially as “Grampie”, who died today from complications related to lung cancer. Born August 17th, 1937 in Vandergrift Pa. to Earl and Esther Buterbaugh, he was six months old when his family moved back to the small mining town of Arcadia Pa. where his parents had been born. An ambitious child, he spent long hours in the summer picking wild blackberries to sell to a growing list of customers, worked for local farmers, and delivered newspapers; among other money making ventures. Following in his mother and brother’s footsteps, he graduated from Montgomery Township High School in 1955. He was proud to be a member of the last class to graduate before three school districts consolidated and formed a new school.
As did so many others at the time, he left his hometown and moved to Cleveland, Ohio for employment. With a little luck and hard work he retired after 40 years from B.F. Goodrich. He met his wife Shirley in high school and they were married April 12, 1958 and started life together in Cleveland, where their two children were born. They moved to their home in North Ridgeville in 1963.
Not one for many hobbies, he enjoyed watching the high school football and basketball games, and was an avid hunter enjoying being in the wooded areas until he could no longer walk the hills. For the remainder of his life he always fed the birds, squirrels and other small critters that invaded his backyard, often feeding them by hand. A gentle, quiet man of few words, but he always listened. Jack’s family was always his foremost concern.
He is survived by Shirley (nee Blose), his wife of nearly 60 years, Daughter Nadine Buterbaugh (Wayne Watson), Son Eric (Terry) Buterbaugh, and four Grandaughters: (Kiah Watson of South Korea, Erin Buterbaugh Yasutake (Jono), of Twinsburg, Kelsey Watson of North Ridgeville, and Angela Buterbaugh of French Lick, Indiana), and Brother Kenneth Buterbaugh and Nephew Kenneth Buterbaugh Jr. of Chagrin Falls, and Niece Karyn (Paul) Lorenz of Parma. He will be greatly missed by all of them. He was preceded in death by parents Earl and Esther Buterbaugh, Daughter-in –law Cyndi (Frank) Buterbaugh and Sister-in-Law Patricia (Savel) Buterbaugh.
Family will receive friends in the Bogner Family Funeral Home, 36625 Center Ridge Rd., N. Ridgeville, on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. Funeral Service Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home. Rev. Dan Sewell will officiate. Interment will be in Sugar Ridge Cemetery, North Ridgeville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Malichi House, 2810 Clinton Avenue, Cleveland 44113.
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