Alice Ridge passed away on January 15, 2014 at Clearview
Nursing Home in Mt. Ayr, Iowa.
Alice
was born December 16, 1937 at Isadora, in Worth County Missouri to James G. and
Laura Hall Ray. Alice attended Isadora and Grant City
Schools graduating in
1955 and was a life-long member of the Isadora Church of Christ and served as
the church pianist and organist for over fifty years.
On June 5, 1955 she married Lloyd C. Ridge and they made
their home on the Ridge family farm just across the west fork of the Grand River from her birthplace on the Ray family
farm. Alice was a farm wife and an excellent
cook she fed not only family but pretty
well anyone that walked through the door or her home.
Growing up in rural Worth
County church and family was the
center of Alice’s
life using her talent for music to play
the piano and also to sing with her brothers and sisters and husband. Over the
years Alice and Lloyd C. sang at many
weddings and funerals in the area. Her
joy was hosting an annual Ray family get together and singing with Opal, Neva, Jim, Ed and Wilbur.
Alice
was a talented seamstress sewing and tailoring clothing for herself and her
family. Many area youth and family members learned the art of sewing from
her. Numerous homes in southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri
are adorned with draperies she made during the forty years she sewed for
Vernie’s Drapery Shop of Creston, Iowa. Over the years she enjoyed various hobbies
including cake decorating, candle making and most recently jewelry making, an
art she learned while enjoying sunny Apache Junction, Arizona during the winter months with Lloyd
Cecil.
For Alice
gardening was not a hobby it was serious business and providing food for her
family by her labor was her duty and a natural part of her life. No one on the
planet could grow as many and as large of tomatoes as Alice grew in her garden. She loved sharing the bounty of her garden
with her family and friends. What produce was not consumed was canned or
frozen; nothing was ever to go to waste.
Alice served as a 4-H Club
leader for the Westfork Boosters 4-H Club, was a member of the Sunny Corner
Club, Sheridan Town and Country Club and most recently
enjoyed singing at local events and nursing homes with the Southwest Iowa
Community Singers.
Although Alice was orphaned
at the age of 13 and raised by her brother Virgil and his wife Lena she had a deep love of home and family. Alice provided a home away
from home for her brothers, sisters, cousins
and friends. Anyone that needed a place
to stay found a place where they belonged at
L. C. and Alices. The caption
written for her which appears next to her graduation photograph in the 1955
Grant City High School Annual predicted Alice’s
life of service and loyalty by stating “Not a friend for a day but a friend for
life”
Alice
was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Virgil Ray, Delbert Ray and Jim
Ray. Sisters: Madlyn Ray, Lucy Ray, Tessie Lynch, Ollie Heron, Neva Olney, Opal Glover, Betty Wiley and Helen Roach.
Alice is survived by her husband of fifty-eight years Lloyd
C., son Roger Ridge and wife Lisa of St. Joseph, Missouri; daughter Becky
Carlson and her husband Jim of King, City, Missouri. Four grandchildren: Caleb
Ridge of Blockton, Iowa and special friend Courtney Sommer; Jacob Carlson
(Petrea) of Amity, Missouri; Taylor Ridge (Kelsey) of Grant City, Missouri;
Sarah Schuman (Colby) of Amity, Missouri; Three great-grandchildren: Tanner
Ridge, Riley Ridge and Addaline Shuman and Brother Wilbur Ray of Grant City,
Missouri.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, January
18, 2014 the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home with interment at Rose
Hill Cemetery
in Blockton, Iowa. In lieu of flowers memorial
contributions can made in care of the funeral home to Isadora Church of Christ
or Hospice of Southwest Iowa.
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