Cecelia Marie Boos Patton

On Sunday, September 17, 2023, Cecelia Marie (White) Boos Patton, 88, formerly of Atchison and known by many friends and acquaintances as the "Butterfly Lady," peacefully accepted her call to Heaven, a call she dedicated her whole life to.

A Vigil Service will be held at Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison, Kansas on Friday, October 6, at 6:00 p.m., with visitation to follow until 8:00 p.m.  Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, at St. Benedict Church in Atchison.  Inurnment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, in Atchison, beside her husband, Richard, and her daughter, Carol.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Mt. Calvary Cemetery or St. Francis Xavier Church in St. Joseph, Mo., where Cecelia was baptized, confirmed, and married to Richard, and may be left in care of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.

Cecelia was born to James F. Sr. and Lily Gertrude (Moss) White, during a dust storm, on March 20, 1935 in St. Joseph, Missouri.  She grew up at "The White House" (a fun reference since the family's last name was White) at 2605 Pacific Street with her two sisters, and two brothers. A third brother, David, died at the age of 6.

In her youth, Cecelia attended St. Francis Xavier Grade School.  During those years, she was most proud of being chosen to be the flower girl to participate in the Crowning of Mary during her parish's annual May procession.  Another exciting time was being a part of her church-sponsored girls' basketball team, which for three years won the Missouri Valley A.A.U. Class B Championship.

She graduated high school from the former Convent of the Sacred Heart in St. Joseph in 1953.  During her high school years, she worked as a teller at Mechanics Bank in St. Joseph.

While attending a dance co-hosted by Christian Brothers Catholic High School in St. Joseph, she met Richard "Dick" Boos.  They were married April 7, 1956 at St. Francis Xavier Church.

They bought their first home in Highland, Kan., where Dick and his brother, Gene, ran an appliance store.  Cecelia continued her work as a teller at the Farmers State Bank in Highland until she switched jobs to become the best mom a kid could have!  All five of her children were born while they lived in Highland.  By 1964, the Boos brothers had sold the appliance store and were operating the Boos Grain & Fertilizer Company, which became the first fertilizer operation in Kansas to register, produce and distribute a new liquid fertilizer.

In 1969, the family moved to Atchison where a second plant location for Boos Grain & Fertilizer was built on River Road along the Missouri River.  On October 1, 1973, Dick perished in an automobile accident while en route to a business appointment in St. Joseph.

On November 25, 1976, Cecelia married Kermitt M. Patton and the family moved to Lakewood, Colorado, and eventually to Westminster, Colorado.  After moving to Colorado, she opened up her own business selling Love Boxes, a gift item with a touching poem that she sold all over the country.  Her family helped produce them and, with the proceeds, Kermitt and Cecelia added to their many travels across the U.S.  Cecelia was a kind and loving caregiver to Kermitt, as he courageously battled Parkinson's disease.  He passed away on February 14, 2003.  In 2018, she moved to Kansas City, Mo., to be near her daughters, Diane and Joan, and her son, Nick.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Cecelia was very active in community and church affiliated organizations.  She was a member of the Highland Women First Nighters Club, President and Residential Chairperson of the Atchison Chapter of the American Cancer Society, a member of the Atchison's Newcomers Club, and President of the Women's Club of St. Benedict's Parish in Atchison.

While residing in Colorado, she was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church, Lakewood, and later Spirit of Christ Catholic Church in Westminster. She was awarded the St. Jude award for being an excellent example of "God first, others second, and me last."  Her years of volunteer work included church office work, donut Sundays, funeral luncheons, designing banners, decorating the church, updating bulletin boards, and serving on the Spirit of Christ Church 25th anniversary committee.

Even at the age of 85, Cecelia was an ambassador for the assisted living facility where she resided at the time, showing new residents around and making them feel welcome.

Cecelia always looked at the brighter side of life, didn't complain, and never said a bad word about anyone.  She loved to attend church daily, write poems and create colorful artwork, and believed in the meaning of the butterfly, the Christian symbol of hope, resurrection and new beginnings.

She enjoyed preaching what she called the "Gospel of the Butterfly."  She wore a butterfly pin everyday and had a large collection of butterfly symbols, figurines, jewelry and other items.  With a big smile on her face, she would share her butterfly experiences and signs with others in the hope of giving them comfort if they were having a difficult time and seeking happiness as they began a new chapter in their lives.

Having now embarked on her own new beginnings, Cecelia is joyfully reunited with her creator, Jesus Christ, and many cherished family members and friends who have gone before her, including her parents, her loving husbands, her sweet daughter, Carol Marie Boos, two sisters and two brothers and their spouses, Virginia (Joe) Kneib, Theresa (James) Peters, and James F. Jr. (Mary Lou) White and David White, as well as her sister-in-law, Judy White, and stepson, Dana Patton.

Cecelia will be greatly missed by her family and friends, who admired her for her faith in God and sweet personality, plus her loving, caring, and giving ways.  She is survived by her brother, John T. White, Martinez, Georgia; her children, Diane Boos (Steve) Pickman, Atchison, Joan Boos Corsi, Kansas City, Mo., Richard F. Jr. (Ty Schott) Boos, Denver, and Nicholas (Joni) Boos, Wichita; Her grandchildren, Matthew Pepper, Benjamin (Angela) Pepper, and Nathan (Briana) Dougherty; and a great-grandson, Weston Pepper, all of Kansas City, Missouri. She believed that God gave her a special blessing to be able to spend time with all of her great-grandchildren.

When she married Kermitt Patton she acquired a "BONUS" family and she loved them all! Her three step children, Gregg (Shelley) Patton, Port Ludlow, Washington,  Marci Patton (Raul) Aguirre, Poulsbo, Washington, Melissa (Markus Neshat) Patton, Seattle, Washington; She is also survived by 12 step grandchildren; and 22 step great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Cecelia's family would like to thank the staffs of Wexford Place Independent Living and McCrite Plaza's Memory Care for the care and comfort they provided for her during her last few years of spreading love and joy among all she knew.