Ida Ellis

Ida Kirk Ellis was a cheerful, optimistic woman who always thought of others before herself. She devoted her life to her family. Her husband, children, and grandkids were her treasure, and in their warm company a familiar smile always brimmed over her lips. With the end of the Great War, thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back home. The economy prospered as industry expanded rapidly to meet the new demands of a peacetime nation. This was the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a decade of good fortune and prosperity. In Toledo, Ohio, Merton Kirk and his wife Flora Yanke discovered an additional reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on June 1, 1922 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their daughter Ida. The younger of two children, Ida grew up in Toledo with the company of her sister Mary. While her mother tended to the house, her father provided for the family as the manager of a sugar beet factory. Ida had a good childhood. She learned how to play the piano and attended the public schools in Toledo. Her father was transferred to Michigan, and after Ida graduated high school the entire family moved to Croswell, located in the Thumb of Michigan. Ida was accepted into Michigan State University, where she took classes for one year. Ida worked a summer job as a retail clerk at WT Grants Department Store in Croswell. One afternoon the handsome Dr. Nicholas Ellis came by the store and noticed her. He started a conversation, and they quickly hit it off. He was twelve years older than Ida, the only doctor in the Croswell area. The sparks flew, they fell in love, and on September 7, 1941 they were married. For their honeymoon, the happy newlyweds traveled down to Havana, Cuba. Ida and Nicholas were blessed with four wonderful children. Joseph was born in 1944, followed by Larry in 1946, David in 1952, and Steve in 1955. In 1948, after Larry was born, Nicholas decided to move to Muskegon to start a practice there. The family first settled in the Lakeside area where Nick kept his practice until his death in 1980. In 1956 Nick and Ida built a new home and moved to the Glenside neighborhood. Ida stayed at home to raise the children. With four boys running around the household, this wasnt always an easy task. Her boys could certainly be a handful! Ida and Nicholas were active members of their community. Ida quickly made friends with the neighbors. She belonged to the First Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir. She was a loyal member of the Republican Party and hosted several events at her house. She and Nicholas belonged to the Muskegon Country Club, where Ida competed each year in the womens league. In the summertime Ida and Nicolas would often pack up the boys for a long weekend trip to Detroit. They would take in as many Tigers baseball games as they could. Sometimes during the winter they did the same for hockey games. In 1980 Idas life changed suddenly with the loss of her husband. This was a difficult time for her. She moved to California where she lived from 1980 to 1990. She first lived near her son Larry and later settled in San Diego, where her son Steve lived. During this period she enjoyed working part-time at McDonalds. She also enjoyed growing flowers, arts and crafts, and drawing with colored pencils. Her drawings were always elaborate and intricate, and she would often give them to friends and family. She was an avid reader who kept up on politics, and despite a decade in the Golden State, she remained a loyal fan of the Detroit Tigers. Eventually, Ida returned to Michigan. She settled in Muskegon where she lived near her son Dave. In her later years, Ida was thrilled to see her family grow with the blessing of several grandchildren. She was devoted to her family, and she cherished all the time that she spent with its youngest members. She kept up with her grandchildren by writing letters and chatting on the telephone. In 2001 Ida moved into University Park Nursing Center. She made this her home. She was involved in many community activities. Each spring she planted flowers in the yard, and she also kept a window garden in her room. She would often read to other patients and help them care for their plants. She also enjoyed the company of her pet cat, named Preppy. He was a source of much comfort for Ida and the rest of the residents. Preppy will continue to live at the University Park Nursing Center. Ida always focused on the many blessings in her life, and each day she tried to share her happiness with the many people she loved. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandma, and neighbor. Among the many people whose hearts she touched, she will be greatly missed and frequently remembered. Ida died on Saturday, March 15, 2008. She is survived by her 4 sons, Steve (Jean) Ellis of San Diego, CA, David (Mary) Ellis of Muskegon, Larry Ellis of San Francisco, CA & Joseph (Mary) Ellis of Rockford, IL; 8 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Nicholas Ellis, MD in 1980 & by her granddaughter, Kerry in 2002. The service for Ida will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, 3:00 PM at Clock Chapel with Rev. Jayne Yonkman officiating. MEMORIAL: Muskegon Catholic Central Education Foundation Kerry Ellis Scholarship Fund or Tanglewood Park Senior Center. Please visit Idas personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.