Alice Ferne Golden, 24 Jul 1946 - 23 Aug 2017

GOLDEN, BENDER, MILLER, ROGERS, MALTES, REW, WEHMEYER

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 3/11/2018 at 17:36:48

Obituary for Alice Ferne Golden

Alice F. Golden, 71, of Iowa City, passed away Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

A memorial service to celebrate Alice’s life will be at 10:00 am, Tuesday, August 29th at the West Union Mennonite Church in Parnell, Iowa. Burial will follow the service at the West Union Mennonite Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, August 28 from 4-6:00 pm at the West Union Mennonite Church. Memorials may be directed to the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center.

Alice was born on July 24, 1946 in Iowa City, the daughter of Delmar and Goldie (Miller) Bender.

Alice received her B.A. in vocal music from Goshen College. She taught vocal music, worked as a children’s librarian, and then taught piano to many beloved students at West Music for many years. Alice loved nature. She worked at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center in Wolf Lake, Indiana for many years; Alice taught groups of children about insects, birds, maple syrup gathering, swamps, trees, flowers and all nature in general. She treasured those years. She loved the woods and often took long walks in them, surrounded by nature.

Alice was a devoted mother and grandmother. She loved her family and friends deeply. She loved reading, especially children's literature. She loved going to The Java House and was great friends with the baristas there, as well as other friends she met there

From the Manifesto she wrote in 2015, “she loved dogs, friendly people, children, babies, smiles, clouds, blue skies, stormy skies, trees, flowers, grass, making bouquets, good authors, good books, seeing beauty in small things and the grandeur of large things like sunsets and sunrises, songs of childhood, cicadas, spring peepers, holidays, and when people say, “I love you.”

She loved music of all kinds, playing piano, playing French horn, and singing. She loved concerts, plays, musicals, dance and all of the arts.

Alice is survived by her loving children: Susanna Golden, Kirstin Golden and Peter (Christine) Golden; her three grandchildren: Zoe Rogers, Ethan Maltes and Penelope Golden; her siblings: Ginny (Ken) Rew, John (Cathy) Bender, Les (Kathy) Bender and Laurie Bender; her nephew, Brad (Bridgette) Rew and their child, Madeleine Wehmeyer; and her niece, Molly Rew and her children, Rosalía and Jesús Escalera Rew. Alice is also survived by numerous friends and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Delmar and Goldie Bender.

Lensing Funeral Home
The Gazette, 26 Aug 2017 10a [abbrev]