Ida Loulee Kimmel, 87, died peacefully at home in Berrien Springs

attended by her immediate family Aug. 18, 2010.

She was born in Bee Branch, Ark. on Dec. 7, 1922, the second oldest of seven children of Lloyd Franklin Womack and Blanche Wiggins. The family moved to the bootheel of Missouri in March 1937 to work in the cotton fields.

She married George Thomas Kimmel Jr. on Jan. 23, 1942 in Hayti, Mo. and moved to the family centennial farm near Berrien Springs at the end of Kephart Lane where she spent most of her life.

She worked with her husband on the mixed fruit, berry and asparagus farm until most of the farm was subdivided in 1959. Then she worked with him building and landscaping houses until they started a groundcover nursery in 1968. They retired from the nursery in 1979 and moved to Central Lake, Mich., where she continued to work in the nursery business until her husband died and she moved back to Berrien Springs. She was an equal partner in the work, doing all of the bookkeeping, personnel management and customer relations, besides doing much of the physical work.

She was a long-time member of the Village SDA church. In her retirement years she lived on the family farm in her own house and finally was able to relax. She enjoyed plants and her yard and garden and spent time driving her golf cart around the farm checking on the flowers.

She was very proud of her children and grandchildren, taking an interest in their education and careers. She will be missed by her family, friends and the many nursery workers who first learned to work under her supervision.

She is predeceased by her husband of 55 years, George T. Kimmel Jr.; and her older brother, John Wasis Womack; and younger sister, Estelle Hinkle. She is survived by four of her siblings: Doyce Womack, Bobbie Brelowski, Betty Skalla and Lloyd Landon Womack.

Lou and George had two children who both survive, Dr. Mary Ann McNeilus and George Thomas Kimmel lll; and four grandchildren, Malachi McNeilus, Meric McNeilus, Micaiah McNeilus and George Thomas Kimmel IV; and two step-grandchildren, LaLonna Dicken and Denver Dicken.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22 in the Family Center of the Berrien Springs Village Seventh-day Adventist Church, where friends may call beginning at 3 p.m.

Visitation will also be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21 at the Allred Funeral Home in Berrien Springs, and friends are invited to leave online messages for the family at www.allredfuneralhome.com. Private graveside services will be held in Rose Hill Cemetery.