Stories of Service
Community education leader continues to serve in retirement
Ilene Green
Foster Grandparents - Montcalm County
Foster Grandma Ilene Green has lived in Lakeview most of her life raising five children. Ilene has a Master’s Degree in early childhood education from Central Michigan University. Ilene is very active in Brockway Wesleyan Church; she serves as a lay leader, a prayer warrior, organist, she teaches adult Sunday school and serves on the board of administration. She rarely misses a service or activity at Brockway. She is a direct descendent of a veteran from the American Revolution, and serves as the President of the Jean Bessac, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and enjoys researching her genealogy.
Brockway Christian Academy was established as a ministry of Brockway Wesleyan Church in the fall of 1978. The school is the direct result of Ilene’s labor of love. She is the founder and taught kindergarten through 2nd grade at Brockway for many years.
Upon retirement from teaching she stayed at home for one year and found her love for children and education far outweighed retirement. She returned to Brockway as a volunteer monitor (parapro) until Grandma Hazel a former Foster Grandparent convinced her to expand her horizon at the age of 75 and become a Foster Grandparent in 2010. On November 29, 2015 Brockway Christian Academy was dedicated in her honor for her years of devotion to her family, friends, church and community. Still today at 81 years old, she lives independently, drives her own car and continues to serve as a Foster Grandparent at her school faithfully.