Edna Spencer

Edna Spencer was a strong and determined woman, who with a laugh and a shrug pulled through many adverse circumstances to make a life for herself and her children. She was devoted to her family, and made sure that her children were raised with a religious faith and good values. Edna’s kind heart, Irish pride, and indomitable spirit will live on in the hearts and memories of all those whose lives she touched.

Edna Marie was born on December 25, 1927, a wonderful 13-pound Christmas present for her mother, Bertha Powell. Born in Cambridge, Ohio, Edna would grow up in several small towns in Ohio, and was always proud to be an Ohio girl. Edna was an only child, and did not always have an easy time growing up; in later years, she did not talk much about her childhood. She was raised mainly by her mother and step-father, Curt Spencer, and lived in quite rustic conditions (including outdoor plumbing). Edna and Bertha were very similar, and as a result mother and daughter sometimes got along very well, and sometimes - not!

As a young woman, Edna met Conrad Stowie of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Edna and Conrad were introduced by a married couple (one related to Edna, one related to Conrad), and hit it off right away. They started dating, and were married in Ohio in 1948. Shortly afterwards, Edna and Conrad moved to the lower west side of Grand Rapids, were they started their own family. In the years to come, their family grew to include four children: Judy, Darlene, Gary, and Marcia. Although these were years of great joy for Edna, they were also years of loss: four more children either were stillborn or passed away in infancy.

Edna was a full-time mom when the kids were young, raising the children and taking care of the household. She was a meticulous housekeeper, and made sure each of the children helped out around the house (particularly when it came to the weekly cleaning chores!). Edna also made sure that her children had a religious foundation, attending services at Broadway Avenue and Westview Christian Reformed Church.

For vacations, the Stowie family often took trips back to Ohio, where Edna enjoyed visiting with her mother and stepfather. The kids also looked forward to trips to Silver Beach near St. Joseph, Michigan, where they played at the amusement park. On the weekends, Edna and her family often visited Satellite Restaurant, where they cooked a delicious burger (if the kids were lucky, they stopped at the root-beer stand on the way home).

Once their youngest child had finished elementary school, Edna and Conrad’s marriage ended in divorce. They remained friends, however, and were a part of each other’s lives until Conrad’s death in 2005 – in fact, it seemed like they were happier together when they weren’t married! With all the kids at school, Edna managed to earn extra money doing odd jobs, including taking in ironing and working at the local laundromat.

In her free time, Edna enjoyed taking walks (she never drove), spending quiet time at home, and watching her midday soap operas. Conrad had been the social one of the two, while Edna preferred spending quality time with close friends. She loved having visitors over, and always offered them a cup of coffee – Edna herself would drink up to three pots each day!

As Edna’s children grew up and had children of their own, Edna enjoyed becoming a grandmother. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, and watched them on a regular basis so that their parents could work.

In the last ten years, Edna began to suffer from dementia, and seven years ago she moved into Kent Community Hospital. Although it was difficult for family members to come to terms with Edna’s deteriorating mental condition, they gave her loving support in her final years.

Humorous, strong, and resilient, Edna was a devoted mother, a loving grandmother, and a loyal friend. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Edna (Stowie) Spencer died on November 15, 2012, at the age of 84. She was preceded in death by her grandchildren, Kristin Stowie and Jeffrey Allen; her son-in-law, Mike Allen; and her former husband, Conrad Stowie. Edna’s family includes her children, Judy (Ron) Overbeek, Darlene Allen, Gary (Kathy) Stowie, and Marcia (Asa) Francis; her grandchildren, Jodi (Brett) Kooistra, Chris (Heather) Overbeek, Rick (Lisa) Stowie, Donny Allen, Tara Allen, Amber (Mark) Jones, Brandon (Brandi) Hobbs, Joel (Debra) Stowie, Zachary Stowie, Joshua Stowie, Megan Stowie, Jason Stowie, Bobby Marshall and Kayla Francis; and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Edna’s funeral service will be held at 12 noon on Monday, November 19, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van't Hof Chapel, 851 Leonard NW, where friends may visit with her family from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice. Please visit Edna’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.