If you knew Patty in this lifetime, you knew her to be the kindest woman ever, who offered her help willingly and freely, who was ever optimistic and cheerful. When she was three years old she proudly announced to her parents “I’m going to be a nurse!” and that’s what she did. Patty was the first born child of Fred Frank Kurilovitch and June Louise McMonagle of Niagara Falls, NY. Fred was an airplane mechanic and June was a dental technician (and Jitterbug champion!) in World War I. Trained as a machinist, after the War Patty’s Father worked for Hooker Chemical Co. where he was a maintenance superintendent, kept all the machinery running. When Patty was 9 he got transferred to Whitehall, Michigan, so most of her formative years and schooling happened there. Patty quickly made friends that she still has today, especially her bandmates – Patty was second chair flute in the marching band. Her beloved twin sisters, Karen and Lynne (whom she called Lynnie from childhood on) were born June 21, 1956. Imagine having live dolls to help take care of when you’re 12 years old! She took the twins everywhere, her friends knew not to invite her unless she could bring the twins too! Patty graduated from Whitehall High School in 1962. She started studies to become a nurse at Michigan State, but transferred to Touro Infirmary School of Nursing in New Orleans to be close to her family when her dad got transferred to Hooker Chemical outside New Orleans in 1965. After graduating from Touro in 1967 with honors, she worked at Touro Hospital until she fell in love with her roommate’s brother. Patricia Anne Kurilovitch married Steven Kelsey Butler in March 1972 in New Orleans. They moved to live in Knoxville, Tennessee where Steve was an electrical Engineering student, later living in Nashville where he got a job with a boiler repair company. Patty gave birth to her only child, Steven Kelsey Butler, Jr., on November 13, 1975. Her longest position was as head nurse on the rehab ward at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Patty was predeceased by her younger sister Karen – one of the twins – of colon cancer, her father in 1987 of congestive heart failure, mother in 1997 of respiratory failure after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease for 18 years, and her husband Steve Butler who passed March 18, 2020 from complications that went back to his active service in Vietnam in the 1970s. Patty is survived by her sister Lynne – the other twin, her son Steven, his wife Maggie, and their son Ben – Patty’s first grandchild, who turned 1 on June 30, 2021 (Patty got to celebrate with him – the photo that accompanies this remembrance is Patty with her beloved grandson, Ben.) She is also survived by her beloved cats, Ethel, Oddspot, and Stranger, as well as her best friends from her school band in Whitehall – Carole Koslosky, Marcia Funnell, and Mary Gee (Mary was first flute while Patty was second chair flute – still a huge honor!) And they are all still BFFs today! Patty’s neighbor Becky Songy is remembered for giving Patty and Lynnie sorely needed shelter and power after Hurricane Ida – thank you Becky! Thank you all for celebrating Patty Kurilovitch Butler’s life with us today! And remember her dynamite smile and truly heartful personality, and please always smile when you remember Patty, that’s the way she wants us to remember her!
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