April 19, 1928 — Jan. 13, 2014

Elizabeth “Boots” Hullinger, 85, of Niles, passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 13, 2014 at West Woods of Niles, surrounded by her immediate family, following an illness.

She was born on April 19, 1928 in Niles to the late Casimer and Bertha (Kapalcynski) Klimek.

On Aug. 28, 1948 she married William Charles Hullinger at a ceremony in Kentucky.

She loved being outdoors, especially at Cedar Lake Cottage spending time on the pontoon with family and friends. Boots also enjoyed tending to her flower and vegetable gardens. Boots and Bill also had many great memories with their close friends through the years especially having her friends over for Notre Dame football games and baking her famous Kieflies along with chocolate chip cookies. She enjoyed spending her free time with her husband and family. The grandkids always fondly referred to her as “Grandma Bootsie”. She will always be remembered for finding the good in people and was a loyal friend.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband William “Bill” Hullinger, her brothers Joseph and John Klimek and sisters; Dorothy Klimek, Agnes Jorgenson and Clara Pultz.

Boots is survived by a son William “Bill” (Phyllis) Hullinger, Jr. of Baroda, a daughter Susan (Paul) Weldy of Niles, seven grandchildren; Kathy (Chuck) Cubine, Amy (Matt) Stoll, William (Jennifer) Hullinger III, Brian McCombs, Brittney McCombs, Taylor Weldy, and Toby Weldy and nine great-grandchildren, and sister Stella (Michael) Quinn of South Bend, Indiana.

A time of visitation will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014 at Brown Funeral Home in Niles from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., with a rosary service at 7:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church at 500 W. 4th Street in Buchanan, Michigan at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. An interment will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens.

Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, PO Box 78960 Phoenix, AZ 85062-8960 or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.

Condolences, photos, and memories for Boots’ family can be left at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home.