Eileen Wallick

Eileen Ruth Wallick, 72, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Courtyard Manor in Farmington Hills. She was born on March 12, 1953, in Holland, Michigan, the daughter of Raymond and Ruth (VanAnrooy) Wallick.

When Eileen was 2, she & her family moved from Holland to Bellaire before purchasing what would become the family farm in Ellsworth in 1956.

They moved to Iron River, Michigan, for two years where Eileen went to kindergarten. They then returned to Ellsworth permanently. Eileen spent a lot of time outside playing, mostly in the stable caring for her horse. She won 4-H trophies in horsemanship. In high school she served on the float committee, participated in the senior play, chaired the projects committee, & arranged the Junior-Senior Banquet. As a senior, she represented Ellsworth as the Safety Queen.

After graduating high school in 1971, she worked on ski patrols in Colorado & later at Schuss Mtn. She met her future husband, Gary Lind, another ski patroller, while working in Colorado. With land purchased from the north end of the family farm, they built a house & small farm for their horses, dogs & cats. They later divorced. While ski patrolling in the winter, Eileen started working summers at the Antrim County Park (Barnes) in Eastport & worked her way up to being parks manager for three parks for the county, a position that she held for many decades. She also founded the Petoskey Stone Festival at Barnes Park which still takes place each spring. She received many compliments on the cleanliness of the parks and of gardens, both flower & vegetable, that she grew in the park. She had major surgery in December of 2021, and during that ordeal she came to know Jesus & wrote heartfelt Christian poetry of knowing that her sins are forgiven.

Eileen is survived by 4 siblings, Ray (Victoria) Wallick of Ellsworth, Marybeth Wallick of Ellsworth, Robert (Elizabeth) Wallick of Cross Village, Patricia Drenth of Ellsworth; and many nieces & nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Mike Wallick, and her brother-in-law, Eugene Drenth.

A memorial visitation will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, May 5, at the Ellsworth Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Antrim County Animal Shelter, or the Ellsworth Public School Libraries.

Arrangements are in the care of the Ellsworth Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com