Ila Hornstra, 84, of Yankton

Funeral services will be 1:30 PM, Thursday, February 27, 2014 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton. Burial will be in the Pioneer Cemetery, rural Springfield. Visitation will be at the church on Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Springfield is in charge of arrangements.

Although her parents were from Custer, while her mother was visiting a friend in Spearfish, Ila Margaret Rice took it upon herself to escape from solitary confinement and expose herself to the world on March 14, 1929. She was the last of a family of 10, the daughter of Harvey and Gertrude (Brunner) Rice. She died peacefully in the arms of her daughter Karla, on Sunday, February 23, 2014 at Avera Sister James Nursing Home at Majestic Bluffs in Yankton.

Ila was lovingly cared for by a devout and devoted mother. Unfortunately she died unexpectedly when Ila was but five years old. In that year, three of Ila's older siblings married. Two of them, Leslie and wife Eunice and Katherine and husband George, took it upon themselves to share in raising Ila. There was another development that greatly influenced Ila's upbringing during these early years. Ila's father, Harvey was a carpenter and was building a house for a widow named Clare Shortell on a ranch west of Custer. Sometimes he would take Ila along and let her play while he worked. Clare became very fond of Ila and became a virtual surrogate mother to her. After Clare remarried a gentleman who owned the Black Hills Cafe, she saw to it that Ila got a summer job at the cafe. Their special relationship continued not only through her school years but for the rest of her life. Ila attended elementary and high school in Custer. In spite of her unconventional upbringing, Ila became known as a most pleasant young lady and popular student. Her classmate and dear lifetime friend Patti Christensen remembers Ila as a very sweet girl and a loving friend.

Ila married Fred Hornstra on April 29, 1951 in Rapid City. Ila worked to help put Fred through the School of Mines. They moved to Minneapolis before moving to Chicago, which led to Fred's job at the University of Chicago's Argonne National Laboratory, where he worked as Chief of Operations of the Zero Gradient Synchrotron. After a brief time in Los Alamos, NM, they moved back to the Chicago area. They lived there for the next 17 years, where they raised their two children. Ila was a devoted stay at home mother but after their children graduated, she obtained her Realtors License. Fred accepted a job offer from the University of Hamburg, Germany, where they lived for four years. In 1991, they moved back to the US and chose to build their dream house west of Yankton overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake. Ila was instrumental in choosing the location, design and construction of their new home.

They continued to travel extensively, visiting every state in the US and every provence in Canada. They enjoyed traveling the world and highlights include Russia behind the Iron Curtain, Leningrad through Moscow. They traveled throughout Europe from Sweden to Rome and everywhere in between. Ila particularly enjoyed Switzerland and visiting the Silent Night Chapel in Austria on Christmas Eve for the Commemorative Service.

Ila was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Charles, IL and served as Superintendent of a large Sunday School there. She later became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton. She was also a member of the Downtown Theatre group in Yankton and the National Music Museum in Vermillion.

Ila will be remembered for her love for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a very selfless and devoted mother. She was a very devoted person to her loved ones and friends, which was a hallmark of her personality. She made friends easily and established long lasting friendships including many international friends. Ila also loved her flower garden, enjoyed square and ballroom dancing and was an excellent Contract Bridge player.

Ila's family would like to extend special thanks to Jane and Merlyn Pugh. They are super caring people and served as tour guides on trips to Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, China and several other foreign and domestic trips. Also special thanks to Dr. David Krohn for his expert, knowledgeable and compassionate care of Ila.

Thankful for having shared her life are her husband Fred of Yankton; daughter, Daria Kay (Brent) Miller of Charlotte, NC and their children: Jason (Leslie) Miller and their children, Connor and Lynlee; Brian (Brie) Miller; and Brittany Miller and her children, Karissa and Bradley; daughter, Karla Renee (Kevin Krippner) Akwa of Bloomington, IL and their children, Noah and Anaiah Akwa; sister Virginia (Fred) Fernbaugh of Hot Springs; sisters-in-law, Eunice Rice, and Lucille Garcia; and many other relatives and friends.

Ila was preceded in death by her parents, five sisters: Hazel Baker, Helen Eberle, Bessie Baumgartner, Katherine Barnes, and Noreen in infancy; and three brothers: Glenn, Robert, and Leslie Rice.

In lieu of flowers Ila's family prefers memorials to be directed to the Organ Transplant Fund of the Trinity Lutheran Church or Sister James Nursing Home.