Montie Ann Havel, 89

Born: July 3, 1924

Died: Aug. 3, 2013

 

Montie Ann Havel of Magician Lake passed away Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, after a brief illness, with her husband and all of her children at her side.

She was born July 3, 1924, and raised in Milwaukee, Wis., one of eight children born to Walter and Mary (Flynn) Boelk.

After graduating from high school, she went to work for Clark Supply Co., where she met her future husband, Bill, during World War II.

They married Sept. 1, 1945, and this year would have celebrated 68 years of marriage.

After the war, Montie and Bill moved to South Bend, Ind., where they raised their six children, all of whom attended St. Joseph Catholic Grade School.

While on their honeymoon they fell in love with Magician Lake and in the 1950s bought a summer cottage there and later a year-round home, which became their fulltime residence in 1972.

After Bill’s retirement from Havel Bros., they spent winters on Anna Maria Island in Florida with a lively circle of longtime friends. They also enjoyed several national and international trips during their many years together.

Throughout the course of her marriage to Bill, Montie was known as a gracious and generous hostess. She had a special talent for making everyone feel welcome and an ongoing stream of assorted family and friends enjoyed her hospitality from Magician Lake to Florida for decades.

Montie had a gift for organization, a curious mind and she was an avid reader. She also had a sharp sense of humor and loved to play cards — especially bridge, euchre and guts, the last of which she particularly enjoyed with her children and grandchildren.

More than all of these things, though, Montie was a devoted wife and extraordinary mother, who taught us how to love by her selfless example. Losing her is harder than we ever imagined.

In addition to her husband, Bill, she is survived by: her children, Ann (Jim) Balfour of Dewey Lake; Bill (Helen) Havel of Indianapolis, Ind.; Mary Ellen (Jim) Mulder of Westerville, Ohio; Lynn Havel (Jonathan) Lucker of Keeler Lake; John (Melissa) Havel of Carmel, Ind.; and Laurie Havel of Kalamazoo.

She is also survived by: seven grandchildren, Bill, Carrie, Eric, Sarah and Danielle Havel, and Jim and Jason Mulder; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Roger Boelk of Wauwatosa, Wis.; and a sister, Nancy Osborne of Chicago.

She was preceded in death by: her parents; her brothers, Jim, Bill, Edward and Richard Boelk; and her sister, Kathleen Burrus.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 9, at Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 51841 Leach Rd., Dowagiac. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 until 6:30 p.m., with a rosary recited at 6:30 at Yazel and Clark Chapel, 405 Center St., Dowagiac.

Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.yazel-clark.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Montie’s name to St. Joseph Catholic Grade School, 226 N. Hill St., South Bend, IN 46617.