Alice Tiffin

ALICE E. TIFFIN

Cedar Rapids

Alice E. Tiffin, 85, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, at Northbrook Manor Care, Cedar Rapids, after a long illness. Alice's husband was her caregiver at home for a number of years before she moved to Northbrook. Private services and burial will take place at Cedar Memorial Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include Alice's husband of 61 years, Joseph; daughter, Mary Tiffin of Cedar Rapids; son, Michael (Paula) Tiffin of Garland, Texas; granddaughter, Alissa Tiffin; sister, Margaret Mastranardi of Tolland, Conn.; and two nieces and a nephew.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents.

Alice was born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, and graduated from the town's high school and junior college. In high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society, sang in the girls' glee club and wrote articles for the student newspaper. Alice sang in the junior college choir and was on the college newspaper staff. She worked at the Eagle Grove Library as the assistant librarian during her junior and senior years of high school and also during junior college.

Alice attended Iowa State University in Ames and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in botany. She was a member of the Science Women's Club and the Botany Club. While attending ISU, Alice worked part time in the botany department's seed laboratory. After graduation, she worked full-time for a year in the seed laboratory, assisting with lab classes and performing seed analysis.

Alice met Joseph at Iowa State and they married in Eagle Grove after college graduation. They moved to Cedar Rapids for his job as an engineer at FMC-Linkbelt. She worked at the Cedar Rapids Public Library in technical processes. After their children were born, Alice was a full-time homemaker and mother.

Her family has fond memories of home-cooked meals and a cookie jar full of made-from-scratch treats. Alice was a gentle, loving and caring person, and a good mother who enjoyed her children and making a home for her family. Because of her botany degree, Alice was interested in nature and liked to pet bumblebees in the flower garden!

Alice was a charter member of Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, when the congregation met at Cedar Memorial Chapel while the church was being built. Alice enjoyed the friendships that she made while attending the weekly women's Bible study group, plus helping at church potlucks, bazaars and the Active Retiree meals. She served on the church's telephone prayer chain, Care and Concern committee and was a member of United Methodist Women. Alice volunteered at the church's preschool on F Avenue NW, Meals on Wheels, school PTA and Bible study groups at local nursing homes. She belonged to PEO for 65 years and was honored by Chapter DK at her 50-year membership anniversary.

The family is planning to donate a memorial item to Lovely Lane Church in memory of Alice.

There is no visitation, so please send a sympathy card message to the family or post a memory of Alice or message for the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.

Thank you to the staff of Northbrook Manor Care Center, UnityPoint Hospice and to the doctors for caring for Alice. Thank you to friends, neighbors and clergy who visited, helped or sent cards during Alice's long illness.