Ila Mae Hansen

Ila Mae (McGowen) Hansen, 84, passed away peacefully, into eternal rest on January 1, 2018.  Ila possessed a simple faith which found expression in every aspect of her life and supported her through her final transition. Ila was born at Gerber Hospital in Fremont, Michigan, on October 27, 1933, attended Fremont schools, graduated from Fremont High School in 1952 and received a Diploma in Nursing from the Butterworth Hospital School of Nursing in 1955. Ila and Hans Hansen (U.S. Citizen and born in Latvia) were married on April 27, 1963, at First Christian Church in Fremont, Michigan. Ila’s nursing career, spanning 26 years, began and remained in surgical nursing. She worked for Butterworth Hospital until her daughter, Debra, was born. She returned to surgical nursing at Osteopathic Hospital until she retired at age 59. Her passion for nursing was equaled by her passion for bowling, dogs, sports cars, birds, gardening and yard work.  She enjoyed participating in a women’s guild at Trinity Lutheran Church and Senior Bible Study and Senior activities when she transferred her membership to Faith Community Christian Reformed Church. She was preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, Hans; oldest brother, Ronald McGowen; parents, William Patrick McGowen and Clarissa (Miller) McGowen; parents-in-law, Alexander and Anna Hansen. Ila’s family includes her daughter, Debra and son-in-law, Lorin Bossenbroek; older brother, Leon McGowen, and wife, Donna; sister-in-laws, Jeanne McGowen and husband, Richard Houghton; and Marian McGowen; and Margarete (Hansen) Leimanis and husband, Nevils; nieces and nephews, Carey (McGowen) Vick, Craig McGowen, Rhonda (McGowen) Sonnenburg and husband, Larry, Mark McGowen and wife, Cameo, Gail (McGowen) Hitts and husband, Wally, Bob McGowen and wife, Pamela, Mara Leimanis Ricard and husband, Tracy, Lars Leimanis and wife, Courtney; great nieces, great nephews and cousins too numerous to name. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, January 6, 2018, at Faith Community Christian Reformed Church, 5250 Byron Center SW, Wyoming. Rev. Roger Groenboom officiating. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet the family Friday, January 5, 2018, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Drive SW and Saturday, prior to the service, from 10-10:45 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations in memory of Ila Hansen to Catherine’s Health Center, 1211 Lafayette Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49505 or online at https://catherineshc.org/.