Thelma A. Hoekwater

Some of us search our whole lives for what truly makes us happiest, chasing our ambitions, our careers, or our endeavors. Thelma Hoekwater was a woman who always knew what was most important, the happiness of her family. She often lived through difficult days, yet always found peace in the presence of the family she loved more than anything. Thelma's story began on a cool spring day in 1918, in the tiny town of Ravenna, Michigan. Those were difficult times for so many, as the dark skies of World War I covered much of the globe, affecting nearly every American family. Yet even in those troubling times, George and Nellie (Speelman) Conant found a glimmer of hope, with the birth of a baby girl. On March 11, 1918, they welcomed a beautiful daughter they named Thelma Alvaretta. Thelma was the fifth girl born to the large and loving family of 11 children, with eight sisters and two brothers. The family lived on a farm in Ravenna, where her father worked as a sharecropper for awhile. Eventually the family packed up and moved to Grand Haven, where Thelma's dad took a job at the tannery and later Storey & Clark Piano Factory. Her mother then began work at the hospital laundry. With both parents working, the children were all expected to help around the home, although they always found time for fun, as well. The Conants were especially tight-knit family, and Thelma had so many wonderful childhood memories. She loved to tell about the family all piling into their old roadster, and the neighbors calling out, "Here come the Coconuts!" as a play on the family name. The Conants lived in a small house at 431 Elliott, and Thelma fondly remembered Christmas morning there, where all 11 kids would sit on the stairs, patiently waiting for the coal stove to warm up. "Is it warm yet, papa?" they would ask repeatedly. Thelma's mother Nellie was without question the matriarch of the family, the central hub around which they all turned as long as she lived. Her mother instilled the great love and closeness they all shared for each other. After World War II, two of her sisters moved to California, while the rest of the Conant family settled within blocks of their childhood home. When her sisters from California returned to visit, there would be a mob awaiting them at the train station, with more than 100 family members waiting to greet them! In 1935, Thelma met a man named Juul James Karr, Sr., from Chicago. The two were soon married, and she moved back to Chicago with him. Thelma was blessed with a son not long afterward, Juul "Jim" Karr, in 1938. During World War II, Thelma and her son moved back to Grand Haven, and lived with her sister Doris and her husband Walt. Thelma took a job working nights as a nurse at Grand Haven Community Hospital to make ends meet. Her first marriage to Juul ended in divorce after 14 years. Yet she would find love again. Thelma soon began the second chapter in her life, when she met a wonderful man named Ira "Ike" Hoekwater at the Eagles in Grand Haven, which was a frequent hangout for her and her sisters much of their lives. The two hit it off, fell in love, and were married on June 8, 1949. In 1959, they were blessed with the birth of their son, Ira "Ike" Hoekwater, Jr., such a wonderful surprise for Thelma. The family lived in Grand Haven at 523 Madison, just a block from her childhood home. Thelma loved this home, and was so happy in those times, with her beloved husband, two sons, and her large and loving family so close by. The family got together every Saturday night to play cards, and five or six family members would always share rides to the grocery store and help each other out. And if someone had a cabin in the summertime, well, they all had a cabin! It was a wonderful time for the whole family. Sadly, after 19 years of wonderful marriage to Ike, he died of a heart attack in 1968 at the age of 58. His loss was very difficult for Thelma, and affected her the rest of her life. Two years after Ike died, Thelma met a man named Don Rhodea, a very tall, very quiet and kind man. She was very lonely, and Don was such a wonderful companion for her. Sadly, five years after they married, Don died, as well. Thelma moved into a trailer park, where several of her sisters also lived, and still live there today, 25 years later. Thelma eventually retired from nursing, yet continued working, taking a part-time job as a playground attendant at Griffin Elementary for about 10 years. She loved the job, and absolutely loved children, who brought her such joy. Thelma never lacked for things to do in retirement, though. Her life revolved around socializing with her large family, her siblings, nieces and nephews, and always loved their visits. Thelma also became a grandmother, and great grandmother and loved being a "Nana." She adored her grandkids, and only let one spend the night at a time, letting each of them sleep in the prized "ducky" T-shirt. In 2002, Thelma moved from Grand Haven to Hart, to live with her son Ike and his family. She had a hard time giving up her independence, and continued to miss her late husband Ike. In the spring of 2006, suffering from hearing loss as well as macular degeneration, she moved to Oceana Medical Care Facility, which she loved. She no longer felt as isolated, and loved the activities and all the visitors she received there. Sadly, Thelma died Tuesday, October 24, 2006. Thelma was a wonderful woman, with a large and loving family that meant the world to her. She lived through difficult days, and troubling times, yet always found peace in the presence of those she loved most. Today her love, and her life, lives on in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.