Obituary: Rose (Henningsen) Butler, 93, of Stratford

From William R. McDonald Funeral Home

Rose Elizabeth (Henningsen) Butler, 93, of Stratford, beloved wife of the late Frank Butler, passed away Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in her home with her family at her side. She was born May 20, 1923 in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan, New York, daughter of the late Charles and Elizabeth (Scherer) Henningsen and had been a longtime Stratford resident.

Rose retired from Nichols School as secretary and assistant to the Principal and was a communicant of Saint James Church. An accomplished homemaker, she was a skilled knitter who enjoyed knitting Irish sweaters and afghan throws for friends and family. She was an avid card player and loved taking trips to the casino where she frequently enjoyed good luck.

A fan of the New York Yankees and UCONN Women's basketball, she was a member of several local duckpin bowling leagues in her younger years. She especially loved spending time with her four grandchildren while they were growing up and was very proud of the adults they became. She will be missed by all whose lives were touched by her loving spirit.

She is survived by her son, Kenneth Butler of Stratford, her daughter Jane Jankowski and her husband Mark of Cheshire; four grandchildren, Suzanne Jankowski, Elizabeth Jankowski, Kaitlin Fonseca and her husband Andy, and Michael Jankowski and his wife Julianna; three great-grandchildren, Asa Fonseca, Owen Jankowski and Archer Jankowski; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a granddaughter, Christine Jankowski and her siblings, Margaret Doak, Dorothy Graham, Thomas Henningsen and Charles Henningsen.

Her family would like to extend a special thanks to her caregiver Deiann Frank (aka "Miss Dee") for her loving and compassionate care the past two years.

Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. by meeting directly in Saint James Church, 2070 Main St, Stratford. Interment will follow in Union Cemetery, Stratford. Friends may visit with her family Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the William R. McDonald Funeral Home, 2591 Main St., Stratford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 198 West Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

To leave online condolences, visit William R. McDonald Funeral Home here.