Mr. John Beutenmiller

Mr. John S. Beutenmiller, age 83, of Macomb Township died Saturday, November 20, 2010, at his home. He was born July 30, 1927, to John and Florence Beutenmiller. Loving husband of the late Donna J. Beutenmiller, married for 57 cherished years. He served in the Army and enjoyed working with his clocks. He is survived by his children Chris (Katy) and Jeff (Connie); grandchildren John, Aaron, Jason, Jessica and Rebekah. Great-grandchild Collin. Siblings Mary Jane Schweitzer and Barbara Ann Jones. Visitation Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 3-8:00 p.m. and Wednesday, November 23, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., until the time of service at 11:00a.m., held at Resurrection Funeral Home, 40800 Hayes Road, Clinton Township, Mich., 48038

To everyone around him, Mr. John Beutenmiller seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For John, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. John really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

He was born in Leamington, Ontario, Canada. His parents were John and Florence Beutenmiller. John was raised in Detroit, Michigan. Even as a child, John had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, John was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, John managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. John was raised with two sisters, Mary Jane and Barbara.

All of John's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. In his spare time he liked listening to his 78's vinyl records.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that John was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, John simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for John, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was John's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory".

John reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. John was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for John, life was not a case of all play and no work. John relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He earned his Bachelors degree.

John never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed John to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. John delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, John was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. John utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, he became good friends with Geri and Glenn, Bonnie and Klonn, and Ester and Lou. John loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made John very easy to approach. On September 16, 1950 John exchanged wedding vows with Donna Joyce Beattie at Boulevard Temple Methodist Church of Detroit, Michigan. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason John related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. John was blessed with two children, his sons, Chris and Jeff. He was also blessed with five grandchildren, Jason, John, Jessica, Rebekah, and Aaron. John had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. John's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play.

At work, as in life, John was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. John liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, John was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. John's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see John as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was as a budget analyst. He was employed for 35 years with Chrysler Defense.

John was an Army veteran. He was in the service from 1946 to 1948. John served during the Korean Conflict.

John enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, John liked creating and making things. He enjoyed collecting and repairing clocks. John was an active member of the Clock Collectors Association and earned a Junior Achievement Award.

John felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, John loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. John relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, John never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included tennis, golf, and bowling. John was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball, hockey, softball, basketball, football, and any sports his grandkids played.

John had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, John's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged.

Living life in the fast lane suited John just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. His favorite vacation destination was Fort Myers, Florida.

John was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of John's favorites was Jingles, a cat. They were best friends for nine years. He also had another cat, Miss Wiskers.

John believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1984, John took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved Fort Myers Beach, Florida winters and Macomb Township, Michigan summers. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, John remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golf and tennis. Even in retirement, John continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

John passed away on November 20, 2010 at home in Macomb Township of heart failure. He is survived by his children Chris (Katy) and Jeff (Connie), his grandchildren Jason, John, Jessica, Rebekah, and Aaron, and his great-grandchild Collin. Services were held at Resurrection Funeral Home on November 24, 2010 at 11:00a.m. John was laid to rest next to his loving wife, Donna, at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.

John brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Mr. John Beutenmiller lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.