Eula Ann Alkema

Eula Ann “Eulann” Alkema, aged 92, passed away on Sunday, April 16th. Eulann was born on September 12, 1930 to Rolland and Clara Towe. Eula and her seven brothers lived with their parents in Detroit before moving to a farm in North Adams, Michigan. Starting at the age of 16, Eula attended Hillsdale College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, and earned her Master’s degree from Wayne State University. Eulann taught elementary school for 33 years in the Melvindale Northern Allen Park School District. At the age of 23, Eulann married Richard “Dick” Alkema, a close friend of her brother Art’s; they enjoyed 63 years of a famously fun and loving marriage. The couple had two children, Susan Leigh and John Richard. The family lived first in Detroit and then in Canton, Michigan. In the mid-1980s, Eulann and Dick retired to their lakeside cottage in Manitou Beach, where their large circle of friends and family often gathered for parties, boat rides, and holidays. A world traveler, Eulann visited Japan, Indonesia, and Bali with her mother Clara, and Europe and Alaska with her husband Dick. She and Dick took their children on great American road trips and annual Bogie Lake vacations, inspiring in them a love for travel and the outdoors. Eulann also enjoyed hobbies closer to home: she was an avid reader and gardener, and with her formidable intellect excelled at crosswords, sudoku, and all manner of card games. Eulann is preceded in death by her husband, Dick, and son, John Alkema; her parents, Roland and Clara Towe; her brothers Maxwell (Helen), Hugo (Patricia), Gerald (Margaret), Arthur (Carol), Robert, and John (Joyce) Towe; her sisters-in-law Oleta Towe and Virginia Delezenne; and her nephews Tommy, Paul, and Blair Towe. Eulann is survived by her daughter Susan (Steve) Laninga; daughter-in-law Lois Alkema; sister -in-law Patricia Towe of NM; granddaughters Emily (Ted) Laninga, Dana Anthony, Chelsea Alkema, and Dee (Emily) Laninga; her great-grandson Jameson Anthony; her nieces and nephews Larry (Susan) Towe, Becky (Jerry) Gauthier, Rosalie Towe, William Towe, Janet (Bob) Roberts, Robert Towe, Michael Towe, Margo (Steve) Burrows, Steven Towe, Debbie Towe, Pam Towe, Bryan Towe, Lisa Towe, Leslie (Gary) Walp, David (Rose) Delezenne, Elaine (David) Shepherd, Robert (Sue) Delezenne; her grand- and great-grand nieces and nephews; and her brother Calvin Towe. The family welcomes donations made in Eulann’s honor to the Northview Senior Citizens in Grand Rapids, MI (https://www.northviewseniors.org/). A graveside memorial is being planned for 11:00 a.m. on June 28th at Allen Cemetery in Allen, MI. Condolences may be sent online at www.mkdfuneralhome.com.