Ila Nina Calkins left us on Jan 24, 1998. She had been ill since September 1997.
Ila was born in Spencer, Kalkaska County, on Nov 4, 1905 to Ezra Ardell Kimball and Etta Ann Sutton. She lived most of her life in Kalkaska County. She was united in marriage to Fay Dewitt Calkins on Jan 2, 1924, in Kalkaska.
They resided for a number of years on Bois Blanc Island, where she was employed as a secretary at Bois Blanc Island Pines School. Ila was a supervisor of a large kitchen and dining room for the patients of the Lapeer Home and Training School, and later was a cook for the employees. Ila went back to finish high school in her 80s, and was awarded her diploma with no days absent. She was an avid reader and kept up with the news, and also authored a book of poems.
Ila is survived by daughters Betty (James) White of Kalkaska, Virginia Boshaw of Davison, and Connie (Lynn) Twigg of Talkeetna, AK; brother John (Ruah) Kimball of Kalkaska; sister Alice Nave of Kalkaska; 15 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and 17 great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Fay in 1982; son in law, Lyle Boshaw, two grandsons, two great grandsons, and three brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Fri, Jan 30, at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Rev. David McCool will officiate. burial will be in Garfield Township Cemetery, Kalkaska County.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 6 to 8 pm Wed, and 2 to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm Thursday.
