On February 20, 2025, Ila Mae Purdy, age 86, passed from this life to be with the Lord and her beloved Burt and other much loved family members and friends who preceded her in death. She was at peace and often remarked how grateful she was for having had "such a wonderful life, a great husband, so many great trips, and so many wonderful family members and friends".

Ila Mae was born in Traverse City on October 27, 1938, and lived in the area for the majority of her life. She was married to her beloved Burt, the love of her life, for many years, who proceeded her in death in February of 2004. Other loved ones who preceded her in their heavenly journey were parents Agnes Donner and Milton Woodrow, sisters Donna Egeler and Marilyn Dorman, stepsons; Michael Purdy and John Purdy, Aunts and Uncles including Elsa and Orville Stockfisch, as well as cousins and several dear friends, inducing Linda Laubach.

Ila Mae worked for many years at Burwood's and later at Cracker Barrel for many years as a hostess. She had and made many wonderful friends over the years for whom she was very grateful. She was a person who enjoyed life, loved to travel, to dance, to play cards, had a sense of humor, and had a grateful attitude every day for her blessings. In younger years she and Burt snowmobiled, snow skied and rode motorcycles. Many of these experiences were enjoyed with dear friends the Hilborn's. the Laubach's and the Rosses. In later years she had taken different Cruises with Burt and with her sisters and nieces. She took many trips to Florida to visit her sister Marilyn and nieces Gail, Eva and Jaime. Ila had many fun casino trips with dear friend Debbie Jennett and was in regular touch with dear friends Judy Huston and Pat Crone who had moved from the area. She enjoyed playing cards on a regular basis with dear friends on monthly card nights. She was a member of several veteran organizations and often went to the AML for their delicious food and to the VFW and the Elks.

Ila Mae is survived by her son, Edward Flees Jr., Nieces Gail (Don) Neiswanger, Eva (Steve) Turner, Jaime (Fred) Osborne and Penny (Dan) Schropp, Granddaughter Ashley (Thomas) May and Grandson Lance Flees, as well as several great grandchildren and many great nieces and nephews.

If she could still talk to us, Ila Mae would want all of her family and friends to know how much she loved them and how grateful she was for them being in her life and that she was at peace, as she expressed these things many times previously. She is and will be missed so much by all of us who loved her.

There will be a viewing for Ila Mae at the Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home on Sixth Street in Traverse City on Wednesday, March 5th from 4pm-7pm. She did not want a funeral, but when she is able to be buried in warmer weather in the old country cemetery in Bingham next to her beloved Burt, family and friends can gather to toast her and to celebrate her life.