Vasilia (Bessie) Mallis Butanis of Bel Air, MD went with our Lord on Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Brightview Bel Air. She was 92. She was born on June 15, 1926, in Baltimore, Maryland. She received her elementary and high school education in the Baltimore City Public Schools. She graduated from Eastern High School. She attended Goucher College. In 1947 she married John E. Faraclas and together they had four children. Bessie married Gerald I. Butanis in 1980. She worked with her father and brother at the family restaurant. She later was employed by First National Bank of Maryland. Prior to moving to Bel Air with her second husband, Gerald, Bessie was active in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore. She traveled extensively with her husband Gerald in the United States and overseas. She enjoyed planning family gatherings and sharing her Greek culture and cuisine with family and friends. She enjoyed Greek dancing. Bessie dedicated her life to raising her children and enjoyed spending time with her family. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, home decorating, and shopping. Bessie will be greatly missed Bessie is survived by her children, Lewis Faraclas and his wife Toni, Irene McKenny and her husband Joseph, Eugenia Hawley and her husband Byron, and her late daughter Nicki Starkloff. She is also survived by three of her stepchildren, Barry Butanis, Gerald I. Butanis and his wife Cindy, and Victor Butanis and his wife Cathy. Bessie was predeceased by her husband Gerald, and Gerald’s sons James Butanis and David Butanis. She was the loving sister of Michael N. Mallis and her sister-in-law Mary G. Mallis of Baltimore, MD. She was the loving grandmother of Brian Faraclas and his wife Diana, Joseph McKenny and his wife Casie, Michael McKenny and his wife Jessica, Brent Butanis and his wife Lori, Erica Taylor, Alec Hawley and his wife Jaimie. She is also survived by many great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to vist at Schimunek Funeral Home of Bel Air Inc., 610 W. MacPhail Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014 on Tuesday from 5-8 PM, with a Trisagion Service at 6:00 PM. A Funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, where she will lie in state from 10:30 - 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl. Memphis, TN 38105, or to NEMOURS, 1600 Rockland Rd. Wilmington, DE 19803, or to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 2504 Cub Hill Rd. Parkville, MD 21234, or to International Orthodox Christian Charities 110 West Rd., suite 360 Baltimore, MD 21204.
