Vernon "Butch" Stilwell

Vernon "Butch" Stilwell,  age 78, of Mt. Morris, died at home, surrounded by his family, on Thursday, February 26, 2026. A funeral service will take place at Martin Funeral, Cremation & Tribute Services in Mt. Morris on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 12:30 p.m., with Samantha Groom officiating. Burial will follow at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly. Butch’s family will be present to receive friends at the funeral home on Friday morning from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at 12:30 p.m. In honor of Butch, the family requests that pocket T-shirts be worn to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in honor of his granddaughter, Peyton (www.cff.org/donate). Expressions of sympathy may be shared on Butch’s tribute wall at martinfuneralhome.com.

Butch was born in Goodrich, Michigan, on August 12, 1947, the son of Herbert Rosebush and Ellen Stilwell. At the young age of 17, Butch heeded the call of duty, enlisting in the United States Army in August 1966. Private Stilwell received his honorable discharge on February 14, 1969, while stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Upon returning to civilian life, Butch began driving a semi-truck, delivering goods across the nation. His work took him coast to coast, but nothing compared to being home with his family. Throughout the trucking community, he was best known by his CB handle, “B.I.” As a child, Butch often shared stories of fishing with his dad and grandfather.

In his free time, Butch loved spending time with family and friends. He also enjoyed watching the Detroit Tigers, playing the Mahjong Trail computer game, and visiting Saganing Eagles Landing Casino. He enjoyed listening to country music and Elvis, and dancing to “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.”

Left to cherish his memory are his children: Correnea (Rob) Scripter, Pamela (Don) Rouse, Jamie Hale, Sheryl (Dwayne) Preston, and Anna (Kevin) Landry; special nieces, Heather and Nichole Wardell; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, with one on the way; four siblings, Janice Davis, Vickie (Mark) Wardell, Sharon Rosebush, and Rich Schmaltz; and many other family members and friends.

Butch was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Robert A. Stilwell.