Janet Catherine Philbrick Butler passed into the arms of her savior surrounded by her three “boys” on Friday, April 28, 2023. Janet was born in Syracuse to Stanley James Philbrick and Janet Spring Philbrick. She was raised in Cazenovia initially at the Williams Inn (now known as Brae Loch) where her parents were the proprietors. Janet enjoyed her time at Cazenovia High School, where she was a varsity cheerleader and captain of the squad, and drum majorette.
Janet met the love of her life, Fred, “the most handsome man she had ever seen” on her birthday; they danced that night and married a little more than a year later. Theirs was a marriage that lasted nearly 60 years and survived three highly energetic and competitive boys born over a five-year period. She would put one son on the kindergarten bus while tending to a toddler and diapering a baby. She also read countless books to her young sons, drove away the monsters under the bed, wiped their noses and baked them cookies, cakes and her famous coconut cream pie. Janet learned quickly what it meant to be a “boy mom,” taking part in all sort of activities from backyard basketball and whiffle ball (where she wasn’t always the last pick) to many trips to the emergency room and lamenting the boy’s inability to learn to “put the seat down.” Mom was a fan of Elvis and rock and roll and when Pop would tell one of the boys to turn down the music, mom would tell them to turn it up!
She was active in St. James Roman Catholic Church and made sure the boys were raised with faith, often dragging them to church for 7 a.m. mass as a penance for some Saturday night foibles.
In addition to her volunteer work with the church she was a CAVAC volunteer and the Cazenovia Varsity Cheerleading Coach. The boys also used the fact that she was a paraprofessional in the high school library to get out of a variety of jams.
Janet was predeceased by her parents, Stanley James and Janet, her beloved husband Fred, her dear sister Patricia Race and her much loved daughter-in-law Nancy Carroll Butler.
She is survived by her sons, Greg (Themis Klarides) of Woodbridge, CT, Jeff (Valerie) of DeLeon Springs, FL and Eric (Judith) of Tucson, AZ. In addition, grandchildren Liza Arulampalam (Arunan) and Sarah Butler, Samantha (Adam) Marris, Matt (Emilee) Butler and Josh, Ariana Mae and Andrew Butler. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren, numerous cousins and nieces and nephews.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at 10 a.m. in St. James Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery, Cazenovia. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Janet’s name to St. James Catholic Church, 6 Green St., Cazenovia, NY 13035 or to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences for the Butler family may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
