1924
Alice
2007
Alice Ridpath
July 22, 1924 — October 1, 2007
Alice L. Ridpath of Eldora passed away Monday morning October 1, 2007 at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center after a nearly year-long battle with cancer.
Alice L. Mason was born on July 22, 1924 to Mary Elizabeth Stebe and Arthur Raymond Mason in Eldora, IA. She was one of nine children. She attended school in Eldora, playing the trumpet in the school band and graduating in 1942.
After high school, Alice worked as an operator for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. She met her future husband Ray Ridpath in 1945 in Eldora where he was stationed as a prison camp guard. They were united in marriage on February 14, 1946 and celebrated 53 years together.
Alice and Ray had three children: daughters Carol Joyce Whiteside of Royce City, TX and Karla Kay Ridpath of rural Clemons, IA and a son Richard Scot Ridpath of Dubuque, IA.
Alice spent her life serving her community as a CNA and office clerk at the Eldora Hospital. She was a member of the first CNA class ever taught at that facility. She retired from the hospital in 1983. After retirement, she and Ray worked for their church (The Christian Church in Eldora) and Donco Air Products keeping their buildings clean and beautifully decorated for each holiday.
After losing Ray in 1999, Alice moved to Dubuque to spend time with her son Rick and his family. She found she missed Eldora too much and returned to reside in the Pine Lake Housing Apartments. Alice loved socializing with the residents in the complex, her friends at Hy-Vee and Dorothy?s Senior Center, and visiting her brother Charles ?Chuck? Mason at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center. Alice adored her family and showered them with great food, love and much affection. She was an avid gardener and was known for her gladiolas and amaryllis. She and her siblings Chuck Mason and Helen Rindels had a huge garden every year and canned hundreds of jars of goodies. Alice also loved camping and enjoyed spending time around the camp fire telling stories and laughing. She was a true Christian. She was a member of the Eldora Church of Christ until it disbanded and then The Christian Church in Eldora until it closed. In the past years she regularly attended Calvary Baptist Church in Union until she fell ill in November 2006. Alice had been diagnosed with cancer and resided at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center during her treatment and up to her death.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, both parents, and all eight siblings: Harold, Paul, Charles & Jess Mason, Ruth Mason, Rosalee Starn, Helen Rindels and infant sister June Mason.
She is survived by her two daughters Carol Whiteside of Royce City, Texas and Karla Ridpath of Clemons, Iowa; son: Rick and his wife Jill Ridpath of Dubuque, Iowa, 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Dorothy?s Senior Center in Eldora, IA.
Alice L. Mason was born on July 22, 1924 to Mary Elizabeth Stebe and Arthur Raymond Mason in Eldora, IA. She was one of nine children. She attended school in Eldora, playing the trumpet in the school band and graduating in 1942.
After high school, Alice worked as an operator for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. She met her future husband Ray Ridpath in 1945 in Eldora where he was stationed as a prison camp guard. They were united in marriage on February 14, 1946 and celebrated 53 years together.
Alice and Ray had three children: daughters Carol Joyce Whiteside of Royce City, TX and Karla Kay Ridpath of rural Clemons, IA and a son Richard Scot Ridpath of Dubuque, IA.
Alice spent her life serving her community as a CNA and office clerk at the Eldora Hospital. She was a member of the first CNA class ever taught at that facility. She retired from the hospital in 1983. After retirement, she and Ray worked for their church (The Christian Church in Eldora) and Donco Air Products keeping their buildings clean and beautifully decorated for each holiday.
After losing Ray in 1999, Alice moved to Dubuque to spend time with her son Rick and his family. She found she missed Eldora too much and returned to reside in the Pine Lake Housing Apartments. Alice loved socializing with the residents in the complex, her friends at Hy-Vee and Dorothy?s Senior Center, and visiting her brother Charles ?Chuck? Mason at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center. Alice adored her family and showered them with great food, love and much affection. She was an avid gardener and was known for her gladiolas and amaryllis. She and her siblings Chuck Mason and Helen Rindels had a huge garden every year and canned hundreds of jars of goodies. Alice also loved camping and enjoyed spending time around the camp fire telling stories and laughing. She was a true Christian. She was a member of the Eldora Church of Christ until it disbanded and then The Christian Church in Eldora until it closed. In the past years she regularly attended Calvary Baptist Church in Union until she fell ill in November 2006. Alice had been diagnosed with cancer and resided at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center during her treatment and up to her death.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, both parents, and all eight siblings: Harold, Paul, Charles & Jess Mason, Ruth Mason, Rosalee Starn, Helen Rindels and infant sister June Mason.
She is survived by her two daughters Carol Whiteside of Royce City, Texas and Karla Ridpath of Clemons, Iowa; son: Rick and his wife Jill Ridpath of Dubuque, Iowa, 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Dorothy?s Senior Center in Eldora, IA.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Alice Ridpath, please visit our flower store.