Ilse H Ozbun

It is with deepest sadness that the family of Ilse Hannelore Haunstein Ozbun, 82, announce her passing on 3 April, 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island.

Ilse was born in Erlangen, Germany, the youngest of eight children. As a child during WWII, she experienced the devastations of war and hunger, like so many others. Yet she shared stories about finding joy with her siblings at holiday gatherings and outings in nature.

Ilse began her career in International Calculations at Siemens. Highly regarded by her supervisors, she was quickly promoted as the youngest associate to assume such significant responsibility until she married and took on the role and duties of a US Army wife. During their first transfer to the US, she taught herself English by reading American newspapers. In fact, she was a lifelong learner, self-skilled in everything from carpentry to plumbing, fashion design to medical advocacy.

She gave selflessly to her children, imparting her love of God and prayer. During the past year, she especially enjoyed calls with her daughter to pray the Our Father in her native German. Her favorite passage of all was Psalm 23. She was kind and compassionate, regularly donating to community organizations. This extended to the animal kingdom as well, as she seemed to attract all kinds of strays on a regular basis, who found their way into her beautiful garden and well-groomed yard-often to find a dish of food waiting when she was aware of their visits. Her companion rescue dogs were a source of joy and comfort throughout her life.

Those who had the fortune to get to know her, found her to be lovely, intelligent and eloquent, with a clever sense of humor that often appeared unexpectedly. She was loved by neighbors and close friends who often found her working diligently to repair something on the house, or beautify her garden. She had a classic, simple and elegant taste, not just in fashion but also in how she organized her home. She was a wonderful writer, and in her later years, helped craft fun stories from her childhood to share with her grand- and great-grandchildren. When she could no longer manage making her jigsaw puzzles, she appreciated listening to her favorite classical and opera pieces, or looking at photos and videos of her family as well as the postcards which she avidly collected throughout her life.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children and their families, Dr. Laurent L. Ozbun and wife Sun, Cheryl Jaynes and husband Bryan, Judy Ozbun Wyzga and husband Michael, Angela Handran and husband Richard, and Ilse's spouse, Paul C. Ozbun. Her grandchildren include Sarah, Sophia, Sydney, Larson and Michael Benjamin, and Diana and Michael, along with great-grandchildren Mariella and Henry. Ilse is preceded in death by her parents and six of her siblings, and leaves behind her grieving extended family in Germany.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank Ilse's best friend in her later years, Marie Mayeux and family of Alexandria, Louisiana, who provided care and companionship, and more importantly, spiritual support and loving friendship.

The family thanks the outstanding professionalism and care of the ER and cardiac teams at Newport Hospital, as well as the compassionate staff of Heatherwood Rehabilitation and HealthCare Center for their excellent care during the past year. Deepest gratitude also goes to the exceptional staff of HOPE Hospice and Palliative Care of Rhode Island for their responsiveness, empathy, and unparalleled skill.

Lastly, to anyone who smiled, said a kind word or shared a warm moment with our Mom, we offer our heartfelt thanks and blessing.

Funeral services will be private, in keeping with her wishes. Condolences may be offered online at www.link.memorial/ozbun or mailed directly to Memorial Funeral Home at 375 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to one of the following organizations: American Stroke Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Family Radio, Our Daily Bread, or Salvation Army.