Robert Douglas Buttery

Bob was born on Christmas Day, 1933 in Battle Creek, Michigan. His mother would recall later that she was most upset about the timing because she didn't have time to finish the Christmas Eve dishes before rushing to the hospital. Bob was a typical middle child, terrorizing his younger brother Dick and being terrorized by his older brother Jim. Bob graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1951. Bob attended Ferris College briefly before joining the US Air Force. He was a high-tech guru working on the latest high-tech communication equipment of that era - teletype. Bob received his technical training at FE Warren AFB, Cheyenne Wyoming before being assigned to McCord AFB, Tacoma Washington. He then went to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska for a year. Having experienced enough of Alaska's cold weather, Bob requested an assignment to one of the Pacific islands. However, having failed to specify the South Pacific, Bob was next assigned to Adak Island in Alaska's Aleutian Island chain. After that, his final assignment at Charleston AFB South Carolina seemed tropical, and it was here that he ended his illustrious military career and returned to Michigan. Bob eventually went to work as a customer service representative for North Central Airlines at the Kalamazoo Airport where he remained for 30 years, seeing the company change names four times before retiring from Delta in 1993. Among his more memorable experiences with the Airlines, Bob recalled several incidents. On one such occasion, he acquired a parakeet that had been left in baggage claim. Happy enjoyed life with the Buttery's but longing for the open road, he made his escape one day when his cage was being cleaned, and was last seen heading into parts unknown. Bob was married to Ms. Eleanor Strunk during which time they welcomed three beautiful daughters: Julie (David) Cramer of Alamo, Michigan, Lisa (Gary, deceased) Rickli of Otsego, Michigan, and Lori (Edward) Allard of Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1985, Bob met his bride-to-be, Judy (Burtless) Buttery. Bob's roommate at the time was looking for someone to pawn Bob off on, and Judy seemed as likely a target any. Actually, Bob and Judy were well suited to one another, and romance soon blossomed. With the blessings of Judy's daughter Marin (Daniel) Rozmys, and a few glasses of champagne, they were married on New Year's Eve, 1987. Bob had several hobbies including hunting, fishing, and sports. He excelled at his two chief hobbies, photography and woodworking, and created prolific works of art in the form of photos and fine wooden articles. As his own biggest critic, Bob often mused that his works weren't that good. Fortunately, his family disagreed, and not only kept, but proudly display much of his works in their homes. In addition to Judy and his four daughters, Bob is survived by four granddaughters Jamie Cramer of Alamo, Michigan, Natasha (David) North of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jessica (Jordan) Pacillo of Parchment Michigan, and Gabrielle Allard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a grandson, Viktor Rozmys as well as a great-granddaughter Ellana North. He is also survived by his brothers, Richard (Joan) Buttery and James (Mary) Buttery as well as countless nieces and nephews. Bob was a quiet man of faith, with the soul of a philosopher. In fact, his simple philosophy defined much of his life. If you asked him, he would sum it up like this, "i'm just an SOB ... Same Ol' Bob."