Ivelise “Ive” Boynton
January 22nd, 1925 - July 11th, 2023
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Ive's Obituary
Ivelise Boynton (The Princess of Cuba) died peacefully in her home, surrounded by family, on Tuesday July 11th at the age of 98.
Ive was born in 1925 to Hector and Maria (Vega) Aguilera in Santiago de Cuba. As a young girl, she and her beloved brother, Toto, were notorious for their pranks on the local priest. Her father served as second-in-command to the president so in her teenage years, so Ive could often be found frolicking in the presidential palace or socializing with Ernest Hemingway at the Bacardi Bar. After she graduated as valedictorian from Universidad de la Habana, she met an American secret service agent, was married in Miami and moved into his mother’s very quant home in Hartford, Michigan.
Ivelise quickly learned English and had two daughters. She went on to become a private nurse then later the owner of Ivelise’s Yarn Shop in Benton Harbor, where she served SW Michigan’s knitting community for more than 50 years. She was also the sole caregiver for her special-needs daughter for more than 60 years. Janie’s favorite place on Earth was at the shop with her MA-MA.
After her family, the four things she loved most were martinis, gambling, football, and buttery bread. She was famous for cracking inappropriate jokes and got into more silly pickles than I Love Lucy.
Ivelise was predeceased by the great love of her life and husband, Marshall Boynton and her daughter, Janice Robinson. She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Bennett; her granddaughters Ryann Goergen (Jeff Goergen), Cara Lehr (Ryan Lehr); as well as her four grandchildren, Parker, Zoey, Jake and Charlie.
A celebration of life will be held at Ivelise's residence on August 12th at 3p. Please send RSVPs and/or messages for family to caramlehr@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to https://centricacare.org/giving/ , the hospice organization that has been a god-send these past few years as her health declined. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.
Ive was born in 1925 to Hector and Maria (Vega) Aguilera in Santiago de Cuba. As a young girl, she and her beloved brother, Toto, were notorious for their pranks on the local priest. Her father served as second-in-command to the president so in her teenage years, so Ive could often be found frolicking in the presidential palace or socializing with Ernest Hemingway at the Bacardi Bar. After she graduated as valedictorian from Universidad de la Habana, she met an American secret service agent, was married in Miami and moved into his mother’s very quant home in Hartford, Michigan.
Ivelise quickly learned English and had two daughters. She went on to become a private nurse then later the owner of Ivelise’s Yarn Shop in Benton Harbor, where she served SW Michigan’s knitting community for more than 50 years. She was also the sole caregiver for her special-needs daughter for more than 60 years. Janie’s favorite place on Earth was at the shop with her MA-MA.
After her family, the four things she loved most were martinis, gambling, football, and buttery bread. She was famous for cracking inappropriate jokes and got into more silly pickles than I Love Lucy.
Ivelise was predeceased by the great love of her life and husband, Marshall Boynton and her daughter, Janice Robinson. She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Bennett; her granddaughters Ryann Goergen (Jeff Goergen), Cara Lehr (Ryan Lehr); as well as her four grandchildren, Parker, Zoey, Jake and Charlie.
A celebration of life will be held at Ivelise's residence on August 12th at 3p. Please send RSVPs and/or messages for family to caramlehr@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to https://centricacare.org/giving/ , the hospice organization that has been a god-send these past few years as her health declined. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.
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