Annamarie Van Hoomissen Turner McIllece

Annamarie was welcomed into the family of Helen Flanagan Van Hoomissen and Frederick Jerome Van Hoomissen in Portland, Oregon on September 26^th, 1927. She was a fourth-generation Oregonian and the fifth of seven Van Hoomissen siblings.

She attended The Madeleine Grade school and graduated from Holy Redeemer Grade School in 1941. Along with several of her Van Hoomissen cousins, she graduated from Saint Mary’s Academy, where her Aunts, Sisters Christina and Veronica Van Hoomissen, S.N.J.M. taught. While at SMA, Annamarie began her violin performance, participating in chamber music and orchestra, a pursuit she continued at Holy Names College in Spokane, Washington, before transferring to Oregon State University. During these years, her activities also included working as a statistician in finance at the Kaiser Shipyards supporting the War effort of aircraft carrier construction. She also worked as a news editor, columnist, copywriter for The Eastsider newspaper.

While at Oregon State, she majored in general science, was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, represented OSU on Lipman’s 1947 College Board. She relished working directly under her mentor, David Gilkey in the OSU Art Department.  She was awarded the Euterpe Music Honorary and Journalism Award at Oregon State. She met her future husband, a Georgia Tech graduate engineering student, Henry L. Turner Jr., at OSU and they married shortly after her graduation in 1949.

Work opportunities at Boeing Aerospace took them to Seattle. The Turners were married for nine years and had three children. Annamarie continued advanced science degree work at University of Washington. She spent 10 years as an industrial engineer at Boeing where she was appointed a permanent member of the IM-99 Weapons System Change Board, as well as working on the Boeing LEM project linked to NASA’s Apollo lunar spacecraft.

In 1965, Annamarie married Donald W. McIllece, MD (Mac). His Portland-based practice precipitated Annamarie and her three children’s return to her hometown, where she had a large extended family. Annamarie transitioned into life as a full-time homemaker and the family welcomed two more children.

Annamarie and Mac spent many happy years raising a family. Mac practiced medicine, while also serving in the US Army National Guard.  Many a Saturday night was spent at the Portland Airbase Officers Club. Mac and Annamarie enjoyed flying their plane, sharing with their children the vast beauty of the country. Later, Mac’s practice took the family to Newport Beach, California, where Annamarie pursued her interest in Interior Design.  The McIllece family later moved to Tucson, Arizona. When Mac retired, they returned to Portland, Oregon to be near family.

Annamarie passed away on April 22, 2019 in the West Portland home that she and Mac built.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald W. McIllece; brother, Fr. Frederick Thomas Van Hoomissen, CSSR; and sisters, Mary Parker, Agnes Herrle, and Frances Stockton. She is survived by her five children, Henry L. Turner III, Christine M. Turner, Helen (Scott) Turner Langley, Patrick D. McIllece, Matthew W. (Janet) McIllece: brothers George (Ruth) Van Hoomissen and Richard (Kay) Van Hoomissen; thirteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A private dual interment for both Annamarie and Donald W. McIllece was held at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

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