Helen J. Butera

Helen J. Butera, 80, of Benton Harbor, died on Saturday, February 15, 2003, at Orchard Grove Extended Care Centre, Benton Harbor. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2003, 11:00AM, at St. Bernard?s Catholic Church, 555 Delaware, Benton Harbor, with Father Larry Kroll officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Watervliet. Friends may call on Monday, Feb. 17, from 5:00 to 8:00PM, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association. Friends wishing to send a message of condolence or to sign the family guest book, may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Helen was born July 16, 1922 in Chicago, IL, to Adam and Josephine Rykala. She met her husband in Coloma, MI & they married on April 21, 1945 in Chicago. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 1995 & had been married 57 years. She was a member of St. Bernard?s Catholic Church in Benton Harbor. Helen received a Medal of Honor in 1988 from the Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA and the Eli Lilly Company for 50 years of uncomplicated diabetes. Helen was a former employee of Michigan Electric Company, and the Merchants Credit Bureau. She was a member of the ?Sons of Italy Lodge #2636? and the ?Four Star Club.? Survivors include her husband, Joseph Butera; a son, Dennis (Bonnie) Butera of Kalamazoo; a daughter, Linda (Brian) Severt of Casa Grande, AZ; a brother, Stephen Rykala of Chicago; a sister, Angeline Stark of Fort Wayne, IN; two grandchildren, Amy Koffler of Kalamazoo and Aaron Davis of Benton Harbor; one great granddaughter, Hannah Rose Koffler; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Helen had a great love for life and lived for her family. She will be greatly missed.