Ila Marie Buss, 83, of Owatonna died Friday, March 20, 2015, at Owatonna Hospital.

She was born March 14, 1932, in Albert Lea, the daughter of Marion and Ida (Enstad) Grotenhuis. Ila graduated from Albert Lea High School. She went on to graduate from Mankato Teachers College. In 1952 she moved to Claremont to teach third grade. She married Donald Buss Aug. 28, 1955. The couple relocated to Owatonna in 1957. Ila taught sixth grade in Medford and later was a secretary in the library at Owatonna Junior High School. She finished her 25-year career with the Owatonna School District as an elementary media secretary.

Ila was a member of Associated Church where she was active, volunteering to serve funeral lunches, O.P.A.L.S. lunches and was the vacation Bible school lunch coordinator for several years. She also volunteered parking cars at the Steele County Free Fair for the Kiwanis Club of which her husband was a member. Ila loved gardening and going to garage sales to find treasures for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Food and family always held great importance with Ila.

She is survived by son, Mark (and friend, Chris Anderson) Buss of Marshall; daughters Marcia (and Jim) Hand of Owatonna and Marilee (and Terry) Zalewski of Holmen, Wisconsin; grandchildren Jennifer (and Jayson) Teichroew, Jesse (and Danica) Buss, Spencer Buss, Scott Buss, Patrick Zalewski and Anne Zalewski; great-grandsons Preston Teichroew, Noah Teichroew and a third on the way; twin brother, Ivan (and Gwen) Grotenhuis, of Atkinson, New Hampshire; brothers Paul (and Kay) Grotenhuis of Roseville and Steve (and Catherine) Grotenhuis of St. Paul; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Michaelson Funeral Home and from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday at Associated Church. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Associated Church with the Rev. James D. Oberg officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Owatonna. Memorials are preferred to Kiwanis, Associated Church, American Heart Association, Salvation Army or to the donor’s choice.