Jean "Jeanne" Alvina Butzin

Jean “Jeanne” Alvina Butzin of Saginaw, Michigan

JEANNE METEVIA was born on November 21, 1951, in Birch Run, Michigan. There were just two other homes on the dirt road that Jeanne grew up on. Her grandmother and Uncle Ronny lived in one of the homes, and a family from Tennessee lived in the other one. Jeanne had just one sibling, Bobby, whom her mother said Jeanne "prayed into existence." It seems that after Jeanne was born, doctors told her mom that there would be no more children. Every Sunday in church, Jeanne would pray for a little brother or sister. Bobby was born on May 14, 1957.

There were no computers, cable TV, blow dryers or cell phones when Jeanne was young. In fact, the only phone in the house was wired to the kitchen wall. Everyone used it, and if you weren't home when someone phoned, you simply missed the call. Work was prohibited and shops were closed (by law) on Sunday so that people could attend Church and spend time with their family, and everyone knew (and watched out
for) their neighbors.

Jeanne had daily chores, she ran barefoot outside, played in the dirt, swam in their pond, gazed at the stars, and slept peacefully in a home without locked doors. At least once every summer, Jeanne and her family enjoyed a movie at the local drive-in theater. The family attended church on Sunday and prayed together before meals and at bedtime. Every spring, Jeanne's mom and dad planted a vegetable garden. They ate off the harvest all summer long, TOGETHER, as a family, around the dinner table - each and every day! They also canned a part of their harvest to eat during the winter months. Jeanne's dad did a lot of hunting, mostly deer, duck, geese and pheasants, so there was always a bounty of wild game to go along with whatever was purchased from the grocery store. They raised chickens and ducks and always had at least one goat. For a while, they even had a pony named Rusty, and an organ grinder monkey named Dolly. NOTHING went to waste. The chickens supplied their eggs, and when they quit laying, they became dinner. Leftover scraps from dinner fed the animals, and milk from the goat (which was Ronny's job to milk) became his mealtime drink, as he couldn't tolerate cow's milk. Jeanne's childhood pet was a little beagle named Cleo. Her favorite toy was a stuffed monkey named Johnny. Jeanne loved mice AND she had an irrational fear of worms!

Jeanne attended one of the last ONE ROOM schools in Michigan: Blackman Elementary, from kindergarten through second grade. There was just one teacher, and she taught all twelve grades. From third through eighth grade, Jeanne attended Taymouth Elementary school. A step-up from the one room school (which was later turned into a home), each classroom was now occupied by just two grades and each classroom had its own teacher. Once a month the school hosted "hot dog day." PTA Moms would cook and serve hot dogs to the students. The rest of the month children took a sack lunch to school, which they ate at their desk. Those same moms also chaperoned student dances at the school. Under the glare of well-lit classrooms (and the chaperones watchful eyes), 45 rpm vinyl records played in the background while Jeanne and her classmates danced awkwardly to the mashed potato, the twist and the bird. Jeanne took accordion lessons for several years when she was young. She got quite good at it, but was a shy performer and quit playing after she graduated from high school.

Jeanne graduated from Birch Run High School in 1969. In 1970, she was voted Queen for the town of Birch Run. The top three entries in the beauty pageant (Jeanne's dad entered her without her knowledge), were selected by a process of "money votes." The three winners, whose photos-and money jars (placed throughout the village of Birch Run) collected the most money, became contenders for the crown. After that, the winners were interviewed by a panel of local celebrities who asked each girl a series of questions. They were also judged on "personal poise." and something they had baked! Jeanne's entry was a pineapple upside-down cake. You have to remember, this was a time when the majority of women were still homemakers.

Jeanne's first job after graduation was as a waitress at the Exit Restaurant in Birch Run. She earned $1.00 an hour, plus tips. Jeanne met her first husband, Mike, there. Although their marriage would end in divorce seven years later, it gave Jeanne her MOST BELOVED son and LIGHT OF HER LIFE, Michael. In 2009 and again in 2011, Michael in turn gave his mom, her MOST BELOVED and TREASURED granddarlings, Emmet and Eloise.

When Jeanne was 37 years old, she was diagnosed with RA. She took a serious interest in nutrition after that and became a strict vegetarian for several years. In 1994, Jeanne took a job with Bridgeport Schools as a Para-Pro for preschool age children with special needs. Jeanne also supervised the high school detention room for several years. The job, though challenging, proved to be a wonderful mentoring opportunity that changed the Wrong direction of more than a few students. Jeanne worked for Bridgeport Schools for ten years.

On September 12, 1997, Jeanne married LOUIS BUTZIN. Louie was a steadfast bachelor of more than eighteen years when he and Jeanne began their (whirlwind) courtship. Louie's tender heart and laid-back nature appealed to Jeanne, so much so, that just two months after their first date, they were married. For the first several years of their marriage, Louie and Jeanne enjoyed riding Harley's together (her on the back of the bike). They also spent countless hours cruising the Saginaw Bay. Louie and Jeanne were very happy in their marriage and together shared the JOYS of grandparenting their two grandsons from Louie's daughter, Jodi: NICK and ALEX BUTZIN, as well as the grandchildren they were blessed with several years later, EMMET and ELOISE METEVIA, and LILITH BUTZIN.

In 2006 (at the age of 54), with virtually no training or office/management experience, Jeanne was hired as the Volunteer Coordinator for Southern Care Hospice. Ten days into her new job, Jeanne's beloved father was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died just seven weeks later, using SouthernCare’s services. Jeanne earned numerous awards while working for SouthernCare and grew her program to the largest (of more than 100) within the company. While working for SouthernCare, Jeanne was instrumental in filling a number of Last Wish requests for patients and their families, a role she found particularly satisfying. Jeanne especially enjoyed working alongside her brother, Bobby, who was SouthernCare's lead chaplain at the time. Jeanne retired from SouthernCare in 2014, after eight years of service.

One of Jeanne's passions (which she didn't discover until she was in her 50s!) was writing. Jeanne authored four children's books based on the adventures of her beloved cat, Bob, several I IMAGINE books, featuring her beloved grand-darlings, Emmet and Eloise Metevia, and a collection of grief and faith-based poetry that was made into a book in 2012, titled: Angels On An Autumn Night. Jeanne also worked with her mom to record several stories from her parents’ childhood during the Great Depression. These stories were also made into books. Another of Jeanne's favorite pastimes was bargain shopping! She especially loved going to garage sales and the local Goodwill store with her mom and grand-darlings, Emmet and Eloise.

The most important thing to Jeanne was her FAMILY. She was particularly proud of her son, Michael, and his many accomplishments, and her grandchildren were the absolute LIGHT of her life. One of Jeanne's most treasured memories was the week-end she and Michael flew to Chicago together - a birthday gift from Michael to her when she turned 60 years old. Afterward, she had a photo book made of all the sites they'd seen together.

Jeanne had (and out-grew) childhood Petit-Mall epilepsy. She developed Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 37 and Best Disease (which affected her central Vision) when she was around 40 years old. Prayerfully, the condition (which could have resulted in permanent blindness) stabilized, allowing her to live a normal life. Jeanne also developed a blood clot following a hysterectomy (and the use of hormone replacement). The clot developed while she was sleeping. When she woke up, she was blind in her left eye! Frantically, the whole family started praying. A few hours later, miraculously, the clot had completely dissolved. Later, her ophthalmologist (and retina specialist) commented on how "lucky'" Jeanne was! He went on to say that typically, when a blood clot develops in a person's eye, they're left permanently blind, or (best case scenario) the clot partially dissolves, causing fragmented vision, similar to constantly looking through a mesh screen.

Jeanne had been raised in the Catholic faith but pulled away from the church when she got older, in search of a deeper, more spiritual connection. What she ultimately found was that the connection she'd been looking for had been living inside her all along. Jeanne believed in the power of prayer, the power of love, the people she loved, angels, and God.

Surviving are a son, Michael Robert Metevia of Warren; stepdaughter, Jodie (Jesse) Kish of Clio; grandchildren: Emmet and Eloise Metevia, Nick Butzin, Kaitlyn (Josh) Vinova, and Jesse (Ben) Blackstone; great-grandchildren: Lilith Butzin, Remy Butzin, and Soren Vinova; mother, Alvina “Babe” Metevia of Birch Run; brother, Bobby (Emily) Metevia of Whittemore Lake; aunt and God mother, Delores Bigger.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Arlington Butzin II; father, Robert Bernard Metevia; two uncles, Ronald Howe; Kenneth Howe.

Honoring Jeanne’s wishes cremation has taken place. A Memorial Service will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at the W. L. Case & Company, 5700 Dixie Highway. Pastor Jerry Larkin and Pastor Robert Metevia will officiate. Friends are welcome to visit with the family at the funeral chapel on Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to American Cancer Society – Cancer Research. Please share your thoughts and memories with the family at the funeral chapel or through www.casefuneralhome.com.