Alice Mae Crossley

Alice Mae Crossley

Solon

Alice Mae Crossley (nee Ridder) passed away peacefully February 2, 2026 at the age of 97 at Solon Care Center in Solon, Iowa.

She was born in Waterloo, Iowa on January 6, 1929, to William and Sylvia (Baumgartner) Ridder. Alice went to East High School in Waterloo, got married after graduation, and helped put her husband, Norman, through Dental School at Creighton University. During Norman’s Army years, the family resided in San Antonio, Texas with three children. She went on to have five total children with Norman.

In her early years, Alice worked at a bank with her best friend and part time at a factory, like many women at the time of WWII. The family resided in Hudson, Iowa from the 1950’s to 1980. She went from a Homemaker to full time at the University of Northern Iowa library as a secretary in 1977. She was a loyal member of the woman’s organization, Tuesday Study Club, and played bridge monthly. After her move to Solon, she was employed by the University of Iowa Library, rising to executive secretary to the Head Librarian. Her intelligence and strong belief in education, motivated her to ensure her daughters attend college and have more opportunities than she had as a young woman.

People who knew her well would describe Alice as quietly engaging, intelligent, kind, caring, welcoming, efficient, and hard-working. She was an avid gardener, nature lover, read voraciously, and had a strong faith in God and church. She attended Solon United Methodist Church and belonged to the United Methodist Women's group for 40 years. Like her mother, Alice was an excellent seamstress, sewing clothes for her children including Barbie doll attire.

Alice loved to travel with her best friend, Roma, to many destinations including Russia, England, Germany, and Nova Scotia. A true adventure was a trip to Romania to help her daughter Sarah and husband Tom Carson adopt Lauren. She traveled to Hermiston, Oregon with Jon, Sarah, and neighbor Sara to visit their previous Hudson neighbors. And travels to the east and west coasts with her daughter Becky’s family.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, James (Ella Marie), Ralph (Bev), and Paul Ridder (Gladys), Susan Fleck (eldest daughter) and Thomas Carson (son-in-law).

Surviving children include Thomas Crossley (Debi), Rebecca Crossley Nierman (Scott), Sarah Crossley Carson, and Jonathan Crossley; grandchildren are April Fleck (John), Eren Sutherland (Naomi), Hannah Fleck, Megan DeRouin (Jimmy), Marni Nierman, and Lauren Carson; great-grandchildren are Sylvia, Will, Julian, and Noah.

Celebration of Life service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Solon United Methodist Church. Visitation will be one-hour prior services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.