Romualdas Jonas "Rom" Botyrius

Romualdas Jonas "Rom" Botyrius of Richland, MI

Rom, age 84, died unexpectedly Thursday afternoon, December 10, 2020 at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI.

Rom, the son of Jonas and Marija (Rutkauskaite) Botyrius, was born in Marijampole, Lithuania and immigrated to Bayonne, NJ in 1949. He was a 1955 graduate of Bayonne High School and received his Bachelor Degree in Agriculture and Forestry from Rutgers University. Rom served his Country honorably and nobly in the United States Army as a PFC (T) and was stationed in Panama with the 134th ORD Det. He retired in 2001 after 34 years of faithful service with Eaton Corporation as a Systems Analyst. Rom was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church, Augusta, MI; the Gull Lake Area Rotary Club and the Gull Lake Community Volunteers. He was active at the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center and was the 2009 NARHA Volunteer of the Year.

Rom was united in marriage to the former Nijole S. Kijauskas in Cleveland, OH on September 18, 1965 and they moved to this area in 1979. Surviving is his beloved wife of 55 years, Nijole; his loving daughter, Aldona B. (Marshall "Marty") McMullen of Spring Valley, OH and two cherished grandsons, Nathan A.J. McMullen of Cleveland, OH and Ryan M. McMullen of Falls Church, VA. Rom was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Rima and two sons, Jon and Andrius.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, October 8th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, 12648 East D Avenue, Augusta, MI 49012 with Father Thomas J. McNally, Celebrant and Deacon Michael A. Carl, Assisting. Rom's Mass will be livestreamed on YouTube: St. Ann Catholic Church Augusta MI. Rom's family will greet friends on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until Mass in the Church Social Hall. Family and friends will continue Rom's life celebration with a time of fellowship and a luncheon immediately following the Mass in the Church Social Hall. Interment will be at 1:30 p.m. in Yorkville Cemetery with the United States Army bestowing military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Rom's honor may be directed to the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, 8450 North 43rd Street, Augusta, MI 49012 or the Gull Lake Area Rotary Club, P. O. Box 291, Richland, MI 49083. The Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Richland Chapel is assisting Rom's family. Personal messages and/or favorite memories of Rom may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com