Alice J. Christensen

Alice J. Christensen, 95, of Belmond and formerly of Dows, passed away on Monday, July 20, 2020 at the Rehabilitation Center of Hampton.

Graveside services for Alice Christensen will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at Fairview Cemetery in Dows.

Those in attendance will be asked to follow social distancing guidelines and encouraged to wear a face covering. 

Alice was born June 18, 1925 to Jens Christensen and Edna Oleson. Alice attended school in Latimer until her junior year then moved to Rowan graduating in 1942.

After graduation, Alice worked as nanny, and then kept books for Toft Sand and Gravel before marrying Robert (Bob) Leach in 1948. She was happily married to Bob for 40 years. During this time, she lived in Dows raising three children, Paulette June (Leach) Bridges, Carolyn Alice (Leach) (Meineke) Cantu, and Dennis Robert Leach. She was proud of her 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Alice was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary, was a Girl Scout Leader, a member of the Methodist Church Circle and worked in the Dows Community School kitchen for nineteen years.

Alice later married Paul Christensen in December of 1995. They lived in Belmond until his death in 2015. They were married for 20 years.

After Paul’s death she moved to Louisiana to live her daughter, Carolyn and her husband Roddy where she was known by all her friends as Mama Alice. During the 15 months she lived there, she embraced the Southern culture, eating char-grilled oysters, attending crawfish boils, Mardi Gras parades and festivals.

Alice is survived by her children Paulette Bridges (Tom Crane) of Dows, Carolyn Cantu (Roddy) of Prairieville, LA, and Dennis Leach of Spirit Lake; six grandchildren Michael Bridges of Berlin, WI, Michelle Cannon of North Liberty, Chris Meineke of Iowa City, Scott Meineke of Ankeny, Lindsey Perret of Baton Rouge, LA, and Keaton Leach of Spirit Lake; three great-grandchildren Payton Cannon of North Liberty, Brady Cannon of North Liberty, and Ada Meineke of Iowa City; sister Eleanor Tonderum of Dows; and brother Allyn Christensen of Clarion.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her two husbands; siblings, Lloyd, Helen, Myrna, Volney, and Merlyn; and sons-in-law Robert Bridges and Steve Meineke.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to St. Croix Hospice, Charles City, IA.