Elizabeth Buti, 76
April 27, 1935 — Aug. 2, 2011

Elizabeth “Betty” (Lako) Buti, 76, of Vandalia, passed away at her home, surrounded by those she loved, on Aug. 2, 2011.
Betty was born to the late Frank and Irene (Sigety) Lako on April 27, 1935 in South Bend, Ind. Her father later married Mary (Rajkovich) Lako, whom Betty also cared for deeply.
Joseph “Tom” and Betty have shared a passionate love for more than 50 years and on May 27, 1965, Betty married the man who had swept her off her feet.
She was always the life of every party, and if Betty wasn’t there, the party hadn’t started. Betty was a “doer.” For more than 20 years Betty devoted her time and energies to the Four Flags Apple Festival. She could always be found working diligently trying to top the previous year’s Apple Festival. In her free time she was also an avid quilter. Anyone who was around during Notre Dame football season would never question if Betty was a fan. For every touchdown Betty would run out to the front porch and blow her trombone to celebrate.
A family woman all of her life, Betty loved being a mother; she also found the benefits of being a grandmother were out of this world. To sum up Betty’s life in just a few paragraphs would be impossible. It is important to know that anyone who knew Betty immediately fell in love with her.
Betty was preceded by her parents and her two brothers, Frank and Paul Lako, and her father-in-law, Joe Buti.
She will be greatly missed by her husband, Tom; her daughter, Catherine Eastman of Mishawaka; her three sons, Joseph Buti II of Cassopolis, Thomas (Laura) Buti of Niles and Edward Wruble of Edwardsburg. She is also survived by three brothers, Steve Lako of South Bend, Michael (Kaye) Lako of Mishawaka, Gordon Balsley of Cassopolis; four sisters, Mary Catherine Lako, Linda (Ron) Brown, Christine (Mike) Dobrzykowski, Veronica (Bill) Rose, all of South Bend; her sister-in-law, Deanna Lynn Gburski of Gilbert, Ariz.; her mother-in-law, Helen Buti; and seven granddaughters, three great-grandsons and a host of nieces and nephews.
Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Betty’s memory may do so to Hospice at Home or to the Cass County Cancer Services.
Memorial services to honor Betty will be Monday, Aug. 8 at 3 p.m. with visitation two hours prior at Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles.
Photos, condolences and memories of Betty may be left at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or www.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Services.