Jeanine Buttram was born on December 15, 1929, in Spincourt, France. She grew up in Etain, France and was the oldest of nine siblings. Being the oldest of a small army, she quickly learned how to tell people what to do. She was a server in her parents’ French Bistro and learned quickly the art of French cuisine. She experienced the rigors of war as German troops invaded her city during World War II.
After the war ended, while serving Le Petit Déjeuner or breakfast, as the Americans called it, she met a dashing American Army soldier named Dewey Buttram. He courted her and they were married in Conflans, France.
Soon after, Monsieur Patrice Buttram joined the family and became their only child. The family crew moved to Columbus, GA in 1958 where Dewey served at Fort Benning. He served honorably in three military campaigns: World War II, Korea, and two tours in Vietnam.
Even though Jeanine never went to college, she became a renowned seamstress for several businesses around the Columbus area for many years. Even into her 90’s, she would continue to sew for close friends!
Even though her sewing kept her quite busy, she was infatuated with those memorable paint-bynumbers kits. There still is a painting she completed of a French street scene with the ever-present Eiffel Tower hanging on her wall.
Sadly, Dewey Buttram passed away in early January of 1999. The afore-mentioned one-and-only child tried to convince her to move to Snellville, GA, but her independent nature would not allow her to move away from a house with such pleasant natural surroundings.
After Dewey passed, she took up a new hobby: she spent many afternoons waging war on the telemarketers. She used whistles, clown horns, and even banging pots to cause those pesky marketers to rue the day that they dared to invade her phone space.
She passed away peacefully on September 30, 2025. She is survived by Patrick Buttram and his lovely wife, Pamela; her adorable granddaughter, Nicole and husband, Anthony, as well as Coco, her brother, and Colette, her sister, and numerous nieces, nephews and grandchildren in France. She was blessed by
friendships made in Alabama and by a devoted group of friends she met in Cataula, GA. She leaves behind a rotund chihuahua, who has been given so many different names by her owner that a donation is made to the vet for extra ink they use when printing her prescription labels.
She was proud of her faith, even though her church choices varied widely from Catholic (always first) to Baptists. She enjoyed going to whatever church someone was gracious enough to offer her a lift.
We thank those that encouraged her as she walked faithfully towards a close relationship with her Lord and Savior; I am sure He has his hands full now.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to “Lunches of Love” of Mountain Park UMC in Stone Mountain, GA or to the Harris County Humane Society.
A graveside service will be held at Fort Benning Main Post Cemetery, located at 6551 Fort Benning Blvd., Fort Benning, Georgia, 31905. The service is scheduled for October 14, 2025, starting at 11:00 am.
Arrangements are in the care of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary – Columbus.
