of Allegan, passed away January 26, 2011 at Briarwood Assisted Living in Allegan. She was born August 20th, 1914 to Joseph & Caterina Barbieri in Bangor Michigan. She was the third of four Italian children, Albert, deceased 2006, Irene Arnold, deceased 2009 and her eldest brother Alfred, who just celebrated his 100th birthday last November, and still plays golf in Kalamazoo. Ida was married to Charles, aka "Tom," Surprise in 1936 and some how produced three interesting children, Tom, Penny & Sam. Those three offspring produced 2 more children each, respectively; Tina Martin, husband Ken & Stephanie Merry, husband Craig, Penelope Axe-Muenzer, husband Doug, & Sam Axe, wife Stephanie, and Noelle & Olivia Surprise. Oddly enough some of these children produced more children; Gina Merry, and Vance & Cole Muenzer. Her favorite niece is Sue Arnold. And her nephew is John Pahl, the well-known local Allegan historian. Ida lived in Allegan her entire adult life, or as she liked to say, "I never lived any d__n further than 20 miles from where I was born." She walked to and from work 12,500 times and then retired from the Allegan City Hall and always knew, but would never tell, when someone's water was shut off for delinquent payments. Many people knew her as a seamstress who could be seen in the front window of her home on Linn Street, most evenings, hemming pants and making wedding gowns from scratch. She was a loyal and favored neighbor to Loretta Cone and Rick & Kathy Lussenden. She was practical to a fault, disciplined and a hard worker at everything she did. Her only vices were cheating at cards, and trying to play sweet and dumb about it when caught, a nightly sip of Drambuie and more than occasionally utilizing off color words to emphasize her meek opinions, such as "That d__n fool" or "That horses' a_s." Like most Italians, she was a life long Catholic an ardent member of the Blessed Sacrament Church. She only had one disagreement with a semi-church proclamation, when, one of the Sisters' of Mercy insisted that her youngest son Sam's Christian name was Samuel, which she hated, and corrected the Mother Superior immediately. Otherwise it was, and remains, a seamless relationship. She was an active bowler for many years, and when arthritis threatened her grip of the favorite black ball she had two more holes drilled in, making it a 5-holer, which kept her in the game for many years to come. She had her 5 seconds of fame when the Kalamazoo Gazette took her photo shoveling snow sporting her favorite faux fir hat at the age of 86, and published it the next day. She was loved and respected by many and will be greatly missed and happily remembered. Her family would sincerely like to thank the wonderful staff of Briarwood Assisted Living in Allegan and Hospice At Home of South Haven for making Ida's end days comfortable and smooth. There will be no services or funeral at the family's request. Memorials may be made to the Hospice at Home or Briarwood Assisted Living. Arrangements by the Gorden Funeral Residence, Allegan Chapel.