Cecelia Joyce Butts

Cecelia Joyce (Palevich) Butts was born Sunday, July 13, 1930, to her parents, Mary Ann (Chernals) and Mike Palevich (who was a Lithuanian immigrant), in their home in Herrin, Illinois. Known as “Sue” to everyone from a very young age, she was the youngest of three children with older sister Wanda Victoria and brother Mickey. Although born in the midst of the Great Depression, she would always describe her childhood as idyllic. Her life was a happy one growing up in her small town filled with loving family, friends, parties, picnics, and holidays. It was truly something straight out of the Saturday Evening Post and a Norman Rockwell painting. She graduated from Herrin High School in 1948 and moved to the big city of East St. Louis to attend St. Luke’s School of Nursing and earned her RN degree in a year-round two-year program. She moved back home and worked as a nurse in the VA hospital in Marion, Illinois. She followed her sister and brother to Detroit and started working at the VA hospital in Allen Park, Michigan. It was there that she met the love of her life, Harold N. Butts, through her sister-in-law, Marge (Evanoff) Palevich, in a photography club. She always liked to joke that she was never a photographer – just the model for the club! Sue and Harold were married March 2, 1956 and so their family began to grow. Nancy Ann (Malicki) was welcomed first into their world followed by Thomas Edward. At this time they were living in a “garden level” apartment on Dumbarton in Detroit shared with Harold’s dad, Pearl Butts, and they soon outgrew the space. They moved to the suburb of Redford Township to a frame house on Southwestern on Halloween. She would tell how she was surrounded by moving boxes while digging for pennies to hand out to trick-or-treaters because she hadn’t had time to buy candy! The family continued to grow with the arrival of Carol Susan (Celini) and soon afterward with Michael Everett. During this time of young motherhood, she stepped out of her nursing career into a world of babies, Brownies, Cub Scouts, PTA, family vacations, birthday parties, and holiday celebrations. She labored for hours before every birthday party over her elaborate cakes that came in all sorts of shapes from rocket ships, trains, snowmen, Halloween witches, and horses. Christmas morning was always a magical time of finding every dream come true with that perfect gift from Santa (always unwrapped – because “Santa never wrapped his gifts”) waiting as we rushed into the living room. She did everything she could to give us the best childhood we could imagine. With her and our Dad’s love, support, hard work, and dedication, we didn’t have to imagine it, we simply got to live it and enjoy it. She also had a wonderful circle of friends with whom she enjoyed shopping, lunching, and playing Pinochle. It was always a big affair when it was her turn to host the monthly card party. We kids would be employed to set up card tables, fill candy dishes with nuts and chocolates, and place all of the matching Hallmark brand seasonal napkins, paper plates, tally cards, and table decorations. Sue loved to decorate for every holiday! Once the youngest child was in 1st grade, Sue went back to nursing two days a week at St. Mary Hospital in Livonia, working in ER, ICU, and CCU. She came home with stories to share at dinnertime that had Harold many times asking her to please wait until after we were done eating to hear all of the details! She loved nursing and all of her close friends/coworkers and her career spanned 38 years. Retirement gave her time to travel all over the US and world with friends and family. She celebrated every milestone and achievement of her children and grandchildren with family parties and much pride. Graduations, weddings, births of grandchildren, and holidays always gave her something to look forward to and shop for! Just spending time down on the floor playing with grandchildren building Lego models, fingerpainting, having tea parties, and digging in the sandbox were some of her fondest memories. Little ones have always been the light of her life! In her declining years, it was the sight of her great grandchildren that could always put a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. As her grandchildren grew into young adults, she enjoyed spending time with each of them individually and talking to them about their lives and hearing their dreams. She continued to help chauffeur the youngest grandchildren well into her 80’s when they needed to be picked up from school or a sports practice. Often times it was shared later that Grandma would stop for milkshakes and a chat on those drives home. Treasured memories for her and the grandkids. She served as a Driver Training practice coach, as well, displaying far more patience than Mom or Dad could ever do! Her life was lived and well-lived. She was loved by many and her bright (“Pepsodent” she used to say) smile and laughter was known to all she touched. Sue was preceded in death by husband Harold, sister Wanda (Pearl) Butts, and brother Mickey (Marge) Palevich. Sue is survived by children Nancy (Mike) Malicki, Tom (Pat) Butts, Carol (Dean) Celini, Michael (Jennifer) Butts and by grandchildren Heather (Bryan) Schwendenmann, Katelyn (Craig) Marrett, Rachel (Jon) Macak, Bear (Grace) Rowe, Scott Butts, Katherine (Chris) Tremblay, Andrew Celini, Julie Celini, and Matthew Celini. And by great grandchildren Audrey and Austen Marrett and Isabel Macak. Visitation will be held at the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home, 41555 Grand River Ave. Novi, 48375, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 from 10:00 am until 11:30 am. A Funeral Service honoring Cecelia's life will be held at the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, beginning at 11:30 am. Donations in memory of Cecelia can be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, a cause close to her heart.

Cecelia Joyce Butts

July 13, 1930 - April 18, 2025