Ida Mary Warner (nee McCutchan), age 80, died Wednesday, Aug. 2.
A former Wayland elementary teacher and wife of teacher-coach Jack Warner, she lived in Otsego, but most recently resided in Oak Park, Ill.,to be closer to her family.
Born in Evansville, Ind., n 1937, Ida grew up in the nearby farming community of McCutchanville, named after her ancestors. As a child, Ida showed promise as a pianist, and she made her solo debut in 1953 performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. After earning a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of Evansville and a master’s degree in education from Western Michigan University, Ida taught music in Wayland Public Schools, where she met and married the late Jack Warner. They were affectionately known to their friends as “Coachie and Cutchie.”
Five years after being married in 1959, Jack and Ida moved to Otsego, where they raised their family. An active member of the Otsego United Methodist Church, Ida was an elementary school teacher in Allegan, teaching kindergarten, first, and second grade during her career. Ida was known for her soft-spoken, sweet personality and devotion to her family. In her later years, Ida thrived as an enthusiastic and proud grandmother, becoming a regular attendee at every concert, school event and family activity.
Ida is survived by her daughters Lisa (Gary) Falkenberg of Estero, Florida and Susan Warner (David Griffin) of Oak Park, Ill; her grandchildren Kate Falkenberg and Henry and Pearl Griffin; siblings Robert (Jeannie) McCutchan, Phyllis (Norman) Hill, and Richard McCutchan (Natalie Jung).
Ida was preceded in death by her husband and her parents, Melvin and Ida (Hoffmann) McCutchan.
Visitation will take place on Sunday, Aug. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 4 p.m. at Drechsler, Brown, and Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion Street, Oak Park, Ill. Private interment will be at Elmwood Cemetery in Wayland.
