Emma Butenas

Emma K. Butenas, age 85, of Wyoming, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, January 2, 2026. She was born on July 30, 1940, in Rochester, New York, to Aletta and John Kuipers.

She graduated from Calvin College and studied art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For 40 years she taught art education at various Christian elementary schools in Grand Rapids. 

She married Carl Butenas in 1986 and they attended Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Wyoming for 30 years.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 39 years, Carl Butenas; sister, Peggy Sawyer of Whitinsville, MA; brother, John W. Kuipers of Lowell, MA; nephews, Christopher Kuipers of Naples, FL, Jonathan Kuipers of Lowell, MA, and Jared Kuipers of Scotch Plains, NJ; nieces, Emma Catherine Kuipers of South Hadley, MA, Julie Lukens of Somerville, MA, and Christiana Kuipers of Lowell, MA.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 9, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW, Wyoming, with Rev. Harold Veldman officiating. The burial will take place at Winchester Cemetery. Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Thursday, January 8, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr. SW. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Lighthouse Community Ministries of Calvary CRC. 

The service will be streamed and can be viewed via this link.